Love and Marriage in Old Norse Literature
Why actions speak louder than words when it comes to romance in the Icelandic sagas.
View Article‘Viking’ Humour
Do we share a sense of humour with Vikings? Dr Hannah Burrows talks about what might have made the Vikings laugh, and what was considered a serious matter in medieval Scandinavia. She will explore what...
View ArticleThe Sagas and the Worst Film Ever Made
How can one connect Ljósvetninga saga to The Room? Perhaps in the editing.
View Article10 Tips on Reading an Icelandic Saga
Here are some neat tips and tricks that will make your lives easier and your reading of sagas much more enjoyable.
View ArticleThe Saga of the Faroe Islanders: A Perfect Story for Tarantino
Ever since reading The Saga of the Faroe Islanders I felt that it has the makings of a great Tarantino film.
View ArticleSagas and Gender
Did you know that Loki was a gender-bending God? In this episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast, Lucie Laumonier interviews Matthew Roby on sex and gender in Old Norse and Icelandic sagas. There were...
View ArticleSex and Sagas
Would you have sex with a troll woman? In this episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast, Lucie talks with Matthew Roby, who deciphers for us the dirty details of these Old Norse and Icelandic texts. Turns...
View ArticleTelling Saga Stories at Þingvellir
Yoav Tirosh talks about the Saga of Njáll the Burner with a Portuguese tourist.
View ArticleWhen Thor was a Bride
Perhaps this would make for a good script in the next Thor movie - it’s gender-bending hijinks involving Thor, Loki and the other Norse gods.
View ArticleFive Examples of Saga Men Being Terrible
Almost every saga has at least one terrible sentence uttered by a man towards or about a woman. Often these are stated at the climax of the sagas, and carry a lot of meaning within them.
View ArticleGetting a Fire Started: A Saga Guide to Dying with Style
The Icelandic sagas provide a step-by-step guide on how to die in a farmstead burning with style!
View ArticleUFOs in the Icelandic Sagas
The History Channel has two popular shows - Ancient Aliens and Vikings. Both are anything but historical, and yet they both challenge the viewer to rethink the ways that they approach the past. What...
View ArticleAdventures in Iceland’s Saga Country
For me, Iceland‘s landscape and the sagas are intertwined and inseparable.
View ArticleThe Famous Headdress of Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir
One of the most famous pieces of clothing in Icelandic saga literature is the headdress that appears in Laxdæla saga.
View ArticlePotions and Poisons: ‘Magical’ Drinks in Medieval Norse Literature
Perceiving the ordinary or the magical as discrete separate categories is a modern way of thinking that could impede our understanding of the past.
View ArticleWere Icelandic Sagas Sleazy Tabloids?
While Icelandic sagas might not be written in a sensational tone, they are often filled with rumors, gossip and various love lives.
View ArticleNew Medieval Books: Animal-Human Relationships in Medieval Iceland
With medieval Iceland being entirely rural, farms and their animals played a crucial role in their society. This book looks at domestic animals - horses, cattle and sheep - and how they are depicted in...
View ArticleMedievalists.net’s Featured Book: The Tale of Thorstein Staff Struck
The Medievalists.net Monthly Book Selection for April is The Tale of Thorstein Staff Struck, edited and translated by Jesse Byock and Randall Gordon.
View ArticleExplore 10 Fascinating Icelandic Sagas You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Here are ten lesser-known Icelandic sagas that offer intriguing narratives and rich historical insights.
View ArticleBuried Alive with an Undead Corpse: A Medieval Tale of Horror
Medieval people, much like us today, loved sharing spooky stories of the dead rising and haunting the living. One such tale involves a man named Asmund, who chose to be buried alive with his deceased...
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