For the film, see Brennu-Njálssaga (film).

Njal's Saga (also known as "Brennu-Njáls saga" or "The Story of the burning of Njáll") is arguably the most famous of the Sagas of Icelanders. Among Icelanders, the saga is most often referred to simply as Njála.

Overview

This Icelandic epic from the 13th century describes the progress of a series of blood feuds. Its author is believed to have lived in southeast Iceland; little more is known. It has a deservedly high reputation as the greatest Icelandic saga. The breadth of its subject matter and the references within the text indicate that the author must have been extremely well-read.

It details events supposed to have occurred between 930 and 1020, and thus covers the period of Christian conversion in 999, as well as the Battle of Clontarf outside Dublin in 1014.

Although it broadly agrees with known history and refers to many locations which can still be found along south Iceland, scholars continue to search for clues to indicate which parts of the saga accurately reflect events and which reflect the art of storytelling. At worst it is a historic novel giving a vivid picture of an unfamiliar system. There is evidence for the central event of Njáll's death by burning. It shows the destructive nature of blood-feuds, and the methods used by the Icelandic Commonwealth to try to resolve them. It extends beyond Iceland, including a brief and not-very-historic description of the Battle of Clontarf and the death of Brian Boru.

Linguistic Note: Anglicization of Njáll to Njal

The protagonist's name, in Icelandic spelling, is Njáll. The book should therefore be called "Njáll's Saga" in English. In practice the protagonist is commonly referred to as "Njal" in English, and the book "Njal's Saga". This probably arises from a misunderstanding of the correct Icelandic Njáls Saga (no apostrophe), since the genitive (possessive) form of Njáll in Icelandic is Njáls (no apostrophe). It seems that by back-formation from the genitive, Njáll has been anglicized to Njal (no accent). The difference is significant, since in Icelandic a double-L is pronounced quite differently from a single-L.

Some English translations also anglicize other personal names, for example removing the masculine nominative ending -ur from those names that have it. But it is not otherwise common for English speakers to treat Icelandic names in this way.

The name is Gaelic in origin, coming from "Niall", which is often anglicised as "Neil". The protagonist Njáll Þorgeirsson might thus be of partial Irish ancestry and related in some way to the renowned O'Neill family - see O'Neill (surname).

Plot

With a work as rich and complex as Njal’s Saga it is impossible to convey more than an inkling of its qualities in a summary of the plot. It cannot show the author’s skill in developing character, or his sense of drama, or of humour, or of place.

Hrútur and Hallgerður

The first episode covers the period from the betrothal of Hrútur Herjólfsson and Unnur to the ugly legacy of their divorce. We are shown his exploits in Norway, where he gains honour at court and in battle, but he ruins his subsequent marriage by becoming the lover of the aging queen mother Gunnhildr. When he denies having a woman in Iceland, she curses him so that he is unable to consummate his marriage. After Unnur divorces him, he retains the dowry by challenging Unnur’s father to combat. While this conforms to Icelandic law, it offends justice.

The first chapter gives one of Hrútur’s insights when he comments of his beautiful niece, “I do not know how thieves’ eyes came into the family”. The saga next follows this niece, Hallgerður, through her first two marriages. Both husbands die by the axe of Hallgerður’s doting, brutish foster-father. Hallgerður provokes the first death but not the second, although it follows from a disagreement between her and her husband. It is Hrútur who, despite the family ties, avenges the death by killing Þjóstólfur.

Gunnar and Njal

Gunnar Hámundarson and Njáll Þorgeirsson (Njal) are now introduced. Gunnar is a man of outstanding physical prowess, and Njal has outstanding sagacity; they are close friends. When Gunnar is obliged to revive Unnur’s dowry-claim against Hrútur, Njal gives him the means to do so. By skilful play-acting, Gunnar begins the legal process in Hrútur’s own house. He follows Hrútur’s doubtful example when it comes to court, and Hrútur, who has previously won by threat of violence, loses to a threat of violence. Despite his humiliation, he sees future links with Gunnar.

This comes about when Gunnar returns with honours from a trip to Scandinavia. He goes to the Althing – the annual assembly – in splendour, and meets Hallgerður. They fall in love and are soon betrothed, despite Hrútur’s warnings about Hallgerður's character, and Njal's misgivings.

Hrútur and Njal are proven right when Hallgerður clashes with Njal’s wife, Bergþóra. Hallgerður charms a number of dubious characters into killing members of Njal’s household, but the spirited Bergþóra exacts blood revenge. After each killing, their husbands make financial settlements according to the status of the victims. The fifth victim is Þórður Freedmansson, foster-father of the Njalssons; Þráinn Sigfússon, Gunnar’s uncle and Hallgerður's son-in-law, accompanies the killers. When the feud ends and settlements are made, Þráinn’s presence at that killing causes a later erupt.

Gunnar's Feuds

Hallgerður now uses one of her followers to burgle the home of a churlish man named Otkel. Gunnar immediately seeks to make amends, but his handsome offers are not accepted. A lawsuit is started against him which, with Njal’s help, he wins, gaining great honour. However, while remonstrating with Hallgerður about the burglary, he slaps her.

This is followed by Otkell accidentally wounding Gunnar. Insult follows injury and Gunnar reluctantly goes to avenge himself. With belated help from his brother Kolskeggur, he kills Otkell and his companions.

Under Njal’s influence a new settlement is arranged, and Gunnar’s reputation grows. Njal warns him that this will be the start of his career of killings.

Next, Gunnar accepts a challenge to a horse-fight from a man called Starkaður. In the course of the fight, his opponents cheat, and Gunnar find himself in a fresh squabble. Njal tries to mediate but Þórgeir Starkaðsson refuses to accept it. On a journey with his two brothers, Gunnar is ambushed by Starkaður and his allies. In the battle, fourteen attackers and Gunnar’s brother Hjörtur are killed.

Worming through all this is Unnur’s son, Mörður Valgarðsson. Mörður envies and hates Gunnar, and uses other men to attain his aims. He has learned that Njal prophesied that Gunnar will die if he kills twice in the same family. He instigates an attack on Gunnar by persons dissatisfied by the settlement. Again, Gunnar wins the fight, but he kills a second man in the same family. The settlement that follows requires that Gunnar and Kolskeggur leave Iceland for three years.

Arrangements are made for exile. But as Gunnar leaves home, he looks homeward and, touched by the beauty of his homeland, resolves not to leave Iceland, thus becoming an outlaw. He goes about as though nothing has changed but his enemies, Mörður among them, seek revenge. He defends himself in his home until his bowstring is cut. Hallgerður ensures lasting infamy by refusing to give him strands of her hair to restring his bow; this is in revenge for the slap he once gave her. His enemies resist Mörður’s proposal to burn him in the house as shameful, but eventually they take the roof off to get to Gunnar. Njal’s son Skarp-Héðinn assists Hogni Gunnarsson in some acts of vengeance before a settlement is achieved.

Kári and the Njalssons

Scandinavian rulers honour two Icelandic expeditions: those of Þráinn Sigfússon and of Njal’s two younger sons. Both return with enhanced honour, but also with companions. Þráinn brings back the malevolent Betrayal-Hrappur; the Njalssons the noble Kári, who marries their sister. But the Njalssons also bring back a grievance about the way in which the de-facto ruler of Norway, Jarl Haakan, has treated them, unreasonably blaming Þráinn. While Njal says they have been foolish in raising the matter, he advises them to publicise it so that it will be seen as a matter of honour. Thrain refuses a settlement, and his retainers, including Hallgerður, on her last appearance, insult them.

The most dramatic of the saga’s battles follows. The Njalssons, with Kári, prepare to ambush Þráinn and his followers. There is a bridge of ice over the river between them. Skarphéðinn overtakes his brothers, leaps the river, and slides on the ice past Þráinn, beheading him in passing. Between them the attackers kill four men, including Hrapp.

Þráinn’s brother, Ketill, has married Njal’s daughter, and between them they bring about a settlement. Wishing to stop further contention, Njal adopts Þráinn’s son, Höskuldur, as his foster-son. Höskuldur grows up in Njal’s household, and is loved and favoured by him. When he is fully grown, Njal obtains for him a chieftaincy, and a suitable wife, Hildigunn.

At this point the saga recounts the conversion of Iceland to Christianity in 999 AD.

Höskuldur and Flosi; the Burning

Mörður Valgarðsson now finds Höskuldur to be such a successful chief that his own chieftaincy is declining. He sets the Njalssons against Höskuldur; the tragedy of the saga is that they are so susceptible to his promptings that they, with Mörður and Kári, murder him as he sows in his field. As one character says, “Höskuldur was killed for less than no reason; all men mourn his death; but none more than Njal, his foster-father”.

Flosi, Höskuldur’s wife’s uncle, takes revenge against the killers, and seeks help from powerful chieftains. He is pressured by Hildigunn to accept only blood vengeance. The Njalssons find themselves at the Althing having to plead for help. Skarp-Héðinn has become grimly fatalistic, and insults many who might help them.

After some legal sparring, arbitrators are chosen, including Snorri, who proposes a weregild of three times the normal compensation for Höskuldur. This is so much that it can only be paid by the arbitrators and many at the Althing contributing. The great collection is gathered, and Njal adds a gift of a fancy cloak. Flosi claims to be insulted by the offer of a unisex garment, and the settlement breaks down.

Everyone leaves the Althing and prepares, amid portents and prophecies, for the showdown. A hundred men descend on Njal’s home, Bergthorsknoll, (Bergþórshvoll), to find it defended by about thirty. Any victory for Flosi will be at some cost. But Njal makes the foolish suggestion that his sons defend from within the house, and they, while knowing that it is foolish, agree. Flosi and his men set fire to the building.

Both the innocent and the guilty are surrounded. Flosi allows the innocent to escape but Njal, Bergþóra, and their grandson Þórður, stay in the building to die with the guilty. Helgi is killed in an attempt to escape. Eventually ten people die, not including Kári who escapes under cover of the smoke. Flosi knows immediately that there is someone to exact vengeance for the Burning.

The Althing

At the Althing, both sides gather. Action is taken against the Burners, and there is a legal joust between the parties. Þórhall, Njal’s foster-son, was trained in the law by Njal, but he is hampered by physical reactions to the stress. Eventually, when his legal action seems to be failing, he lances his boil with his spear and begins fighting. Flosi’s men are driven back until Snorri separates the parties. In the confusion, several are killed including Ljótur, Flosi’s brother-in-law.

Ljótur’s father, Hallur of Síða, takes advantage of the truce to appeal for peace, and, in a move that marks a change from Viking to Christian thinking, seeks no compensation for his son. Moved by this, all but Kári and Njal’s nephew Þórgeir reach a settlement, while everyone contributes to Ljótur's weregild. The Burners are exiled for three years.

Before the Sigfússons reach home, Kári attacks them, and most the rest of the saga describes his vengeance for the Burning. He is supported by Þórgeir and a comical braggart named Björn. He pursues them to Orkney and Wales. The most dramatic moment is when he breaks into the earl’s hall in Orkney and kills a man who is giving a false account of the events.

After a pilgrimage to Rome, Flosi returns to Iceland. Kári follows, and is shipwrecked near Flosi’s home. Testing Flosi’s nobility he goes to him for help, and they arrange a final peace. Kári marries Höskuldur’s widow. Finally, there is a full reconciliation.

Trivia

There is at least one reference to Njal in the Monty Python oeuvre, in which it is comically pronounced nn-jarl (the J as in "jar").

See also

• Norse saga

External links

• Icelandic text with English & French translations at the Icelandic Saga Database
• An online public domain edition of Njal's Saga: George Dasent's English translation
• An online public domain edition of Njal's Saga—George Dasent's English translation
• Modernized Icelandic text
• The official Njal's Saga website—The Njála museum in Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

Sagas of Icelanders
Bandamanna saga | Brar saga Snfellsss | Bjarnar saga Htdœlakappa | Brennu-Njls saga | Droplaugarsona saga | Egils saga Skalla-Grmssonar | Eirks saga raua | Eyrbyggja saga | Freyinga saga | Finnboga saga ramma | Fljtsdla saga | Flamanna saga | Fstbrœra saga | Gsla saga Srssonar | Grettis saga | Grœnlendinga saga | Gull-ris saga | Gunnars saga Keldugnpsffls | Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu | Hallfrear saga | Harar saga ok Hlmverja | Hvarar saga sfirings | Heiarvga saga | Hrafnkels saga | Hrana saga hrings | Hnsna-ris saga | Kjalnesinga saga | Kormks saga | Krka-Refs saga | Laxdla saga | Ljsvetninga saga | Reykdœla saga ok Vga-Sktu | Svarfdœla saga | Valla-Ljts saga | Vatnsdœla saga | Vga-Glms saga | Vglundar saga | Vpnfiringa saga | orsteins saga hvta | orsteins saga Su-Hallssonar | rar saga hreu | lkofra saga