A mostly female centered story of the Laxdaele of Iceland. The list of strong women culminates in the life of Gudrun Osvif's dottir and her various mates. A classic of Northern Literature, ably served by Palsson and Magnusson. ( )

Les sagas islandaises, composées aux XIème et XIIème siècles, sont un fleuron, trop méconnu en France, des lettres européennes médiévales. Qu’elles s’intéressent aux premiers colonisateurs de l’Islande ou à l’histoire des grands rois de Norvège, ou encore à détailler la chronique des XIème et XIIème siècles islandais, voire à rapporter les hauts faits légendaires du Nord et de la Germanie antiques, elles posent directement le problème de la création littéraire. Leur origine reste cependant l’objet de controverses : sont-elles nées d’une longue et vivante tradition orale ou, comme il semble plus vraisemblable, doivent-elles le jour à une sûre élaboration de tout un ensemble de données littéraires et artistiques apportées par l’Eglise ? Le cas du plus grand spécialiste du genre, Snorri Sturluson, peut autoriser à trancher le débat, tandis que les nombreuses survivances dont elles font état nous montrent comment travaillaient leurs auteurs, les sagnamenn, pour reconstituer le passé. Il en reste avant tout un art suprême fait de mesure, de laconisme et d’équilibre, et recouvrant une grandiose vision de la vie où l’homme, toujours averti de son sort, pris dans la sauvage dialectique de l’honneur, de la vengeance et du destin, entend réaliser la plus haute idée qu’il se fait de lui-même dans un climat austère où l’héroïsme le dispute à un sens épique de la condition humaine. A sept siècles de distance, les hommes et les femmes que mettent en scène les sagas demeurent étonnamment vivants et leur présence ne s’oublie pas.

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The classic Icelandic Saga of the men of Salmon-River-Dale, although actually this should probably be renamed Gudruns Saga, as this fiesty lady with her fate of four husbands is the central character and lively heroine. An older translation, but very well done, with the evocative shifts in tenses handled nicely. Against a rich background of power and patronage, blood-price, revenge and law, sorcery and grudges, many of the scenes are so human and timeless, giving this work an interest and relevance that certainly extends to the present day. ( )

Then Bolli said, 'I understand clearly what you are telling me about the qualities of your husbands; but you have not told me which man you loved the most. There's no need to conceal it any longer now.'
'You are pressing me very hard, my son, said Gudrun. 'But if I must tell someone, then I would rather it were you.'
Bolli begged her to do so.
Then Gudrun said, 'I was worst to the one I loved the most,'

The saying 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' certainly applies to Gudrun Osvifur's-daughter, whose third husband Bolli was the foster-brother of Kjartan, the man she really loved. She manoeuvred her husband and brothers into killing Kjartan, and when Kjartan's brothers killed Bolli in revenge, she was instrumental in keeping the feud going.

The saga starts several generations earlier, in order to explain the family relationships between Gudrun, her four husbands and the other two men who wished to marry her, who are all descended from Ketil Flatnose. Although it is thought that a lot of the characters were real people, the author of Laxdaela Saga is believed to have changed the order and timescale of events in order to make a better story. ( )

Laxdaela Saga is a thirteenth century tale about the families living in Iceland’s Lax River Dale. It relates the arrival of Norwegian settlers in Iceland and describes their families, farms and feuds. The saga opens as the settlers leave Norway to settle in Iceland, and relates how they prosper when they get there. The latter half of the saga follows the life of Gudrun Ovsifsdottir, a descendant of one of the early settlers.

Summarised like that, it sounds a bit dull. But, by gum, it’s not. The saga is a combination of high drama and soap opera. There is the murder, violence and plotting of frontier life, complete with outlaws and gangs. There is also romance, jealousy, divorce, and bickering over clothes.

Gudrun Ovsifsdottir and the foster brothers Kjartan and Bolli are embroiled in a love triangle. Gudrun loves one foster brother but is forced to marry the other, and in retaliation she initiates a cycle of murder and blood feud that continues for years. Gudrun is strong, intelligent and beautiful; also vain, manipulative and obsessed with revenge. After a long life including children and four marriages, in old age she becomes Iceland’s first nun.

The story is told in a simple, understated way and is full of dry humour. The side detail is fascinating: minor characters have names like ‘Thorhalla the Gossip’ and ‘Hallfred Troublesome-Poet’; men arrange stallion fights; Irish slaves are bought; a man rises from the dead to terrorise the community; a new religion arrives. At times though, there seems to be too much emphasis on genealogy. I assume this detail was more important for early listeners/ readers of this story, possibly to help them trace their own family trees back to the people in the saga. I skimmed over the lengthier genealogies in the first half of the story and didn’t regret it. My edition (translation by Magnusson & Palsson) has helpful tables of family relationships which are good for reference.

This is my favourite saga, which I would recommend over other sagas such as Njal’s Saga and Egil’s Saga.