Egil's Saga (Skallagrímssonar)

We make it to a cluster of Old Norse tales.

One of the earliest is Egil's Saga, and we'll start here; an Icelandic saga that covers the lives of the clan of Egil Skallagrímsson, a farmer, viking and skald. The saga spans from approximately 850-1,000 AD. The manuscript itself dates back to the mid 13th century.

There is a modern translation available in Penguin Classics by Bernard Scudder. I'm going to work from this but if you find other worthy translations please share in the meeting comments.

https://a.co/d/5OWh7MN

Some items Susan M. helped pull together:

Why it matters: One of the first family sagas, possibly by Snorri Sturluson. Offers a complex portrait of a warrior-poet navigating family conflict and political change.

Themes: Individualism, art, family honor, tension between pagan and Christian values.

Influence: Sets a high literary standard and bridges mythic past with historical saga.