An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

103. The Norse Sagas

September 30, 2021

Description

In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they sail across the Atlantic in a dragon-ship, bound for the epic world of the Norse sagas. What society did the...
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Books Referenced

Egil's Saga

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Mentioned at the opening of the episode as 'one of the best known of all the Icelandic sagas,' set in the 9th century but written down later. An excerpt is read aloud to introduce the topic of Viking sagas.

Beyond the Northlands: Viking Voyages and the Old Norse Sagas

Author: Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough

Context:

Dominic mentions taking this book on holiday to Iceland, describing it as 'an absolutely brilliant book, beautifully illustrated' about the Vikings' worldview, geography, and sense of monsters and strange lands. The author is the episode's guest.

Landnámabók (Book of Settlement)

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Eleanor mentions this text as describing the first settlers of Iceland, where they went and settled, noting it focuses primarily on the powerful early settlers.

Saga of Eric the Red

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

One of the two Vinland sagas that describe Norse voyages to North America, mentioned as a key source for the expeditions led by Eric the Red's children including Leif the Lucky.

Saga of the Greenlanders

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

The second of the two Vinland sagas, discussed alongside the Saga of Eric the Red as sources for Norse voyages to Greenland and North America.

Prose Edda

Author: Snorri Sturluson

Context:

Described as a 13th century handbook for poets written by Snorri Sturluson, explaining that it was needed because Christian poets had forgotten the old Norse mythology necessary for traditional poetry.

Poetic Edda

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Described as a collection of poems about the gods and heroes of old from a manuscript called the Codex Regius (circa 1270), the source for Norse mythology including figures like Loki, Thor, and Odin.

Laxdaela Saga (Saga of the People of Salmon Valley)

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Mentioned as a saga featuring a strong female character Gudrun who has four husbands and outlives them all, and includes a story about an Irish princess brought to Iceland as a slave.

Saga of Gisli

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Mentioned as one of the 'outlaw sagas' featuring tragic, socially disruptive outlaw figures, recommended by Eleanor as a shorter saga option for readers.

Saga of Grettir

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Mentioned alongside the Saga of Gisli as an outlaw saga, described as a character study that is 'absolutely beautiful.'

Njal's Saga (Saga of Burnt Njal)

Author: Anonymous (Icelandic)

Context:

Strongly recommended by Eleanor as the one saga everyone should read - described as tragic, complicated, with beautiful relationships, strong female characters, supernatural elements, politics, and the conversion narrative. The body count is noted as around 100 dead.