The Vinland Sagas

From the first page, “Gudrid’s ancestry” the literary style of the saga is much like a Greek myth. Especially in the footnotes where five notes are given to explain the genealogy that is stowed in five paragraphs. Although I usually love to get the back story and find that it enriches my understanding of a literary work, in this case, the likeness to Greek mythology discredited the story as a historical piece. Myth or History? As I continued reading, my mind was stuck in limbo between the two.

Unlike Greek mythology, the hierarchy was not exactly obvious. There were free born men, and slaves, which created two distinct classes. But a slave could rise to become powerful and wealthy like Einar (79). The social hierarchy expands for the reader on page 80, Thorbjorn would not have his daughter marry even the son of a slave, no matter how successful. So still there is no King, besides far away in Norway, but the difference between men, sons of slaves, and slaves is made. Thus, the indulgent focus on lineage has some value after all.

I found an interesting cultural insight when Thorbjorn moves to Greenland, and many of his friends go too. What a contrast to current American culture. If a friend moves, it’s unpleasant at worst. We have e-mail, cell phones, skype, faxes. Because of our advanced communication, we wouldn’t follow a friend to unknown country. At least that’s the easiest answer. Unfortunately (for us) the conditions of living in those times may have fostered stronger friendships. One relied on a friend more fully. Imagine how many times one family hosted another group for an entire winter in this saga alone. That just doesn’t happen here. In my house, guests are like fish, they stink after three days. There are definitely cultural differences beyond communication that play into this expression of friendship that is so foreign to me.