Hænsa-Þóris saga: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|13th-century Icelandic saga}} |
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'''Hænsna-Þóris saga''' ({{Audio|Hænsna-þóris saga.ogg|listen}}) is one of the [[sagas of Icelanders]]. It tells the story of Hænsna-Thorir ("Chicken-Thorir"), a wealthy but unpopular Icelandic farmholder who refuses his neighbours hay for the winter. When his neighbours take the hay anyway, he burns them alive in their farmstead. A vendetta ensues in which Hænsna-Thorir is killed and beheaded. |
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'''Hænsa-Þóris saga''' ({{langx|non|Hœnsa-Þóris saga}} {{IPA-non|ˈhøːnsa-ˌθoːres ˈsaɣa|}}; {{langx|is|Hænsna-Þóris saga}} {{IPA-is|ˈhainstna-ˌθouːrɪs ˈsaːɣa|}}; "The Saga of Hen-Thorir") is one of the [[sagas of Icelanders]]. |
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==Plot== |
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It tells the story of Hænsa-Þórir ({{langx|non|Hœnsa-Þórir}} {{IPA-non|-ˌθoːrez̠|}}; {{langx|is|Hænsna-Þórir}} {{IPA-is|-ˈθouːrɪr̥|}}; ''{{linktext|hænsn}}'' means "a hen"), a poor and unpopular man who acquires wealth as a merchant and manages to buy land. In the saga the upstart is compared negatively to his neighbours, who come from a more solid background; he causes strife between them. Eventually Hænsa-Þórir refuses to sell the neighbours hay for the winter. When they take the hay anyway, he burns them alive in their farmstead. A [[Feud|vendetta]] ensues in which Hænsa-Þórir is killed and beheaded; the neighbours then seal their differences with a marriage between their families. |
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==Themes== |
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The saga highlights aspects of Icelandic culture, such as [[hospitable|hospitality]] to guests and travellers, (expected) generosity to one's neighbours, and the need to gather support of a [[chieftain]] in order to obtain justice. [[Ari Þorgilsson]] mentions the events in his ''[[Íslendingabók]]'' in connection with a change in Icelandic law, whereby a legal complaint was no longer to be brought to the closest [[Thing (assembly)]] but to the Quarter Thing.<ref name=DeVries>[[Jan de Vries (linguist)|Jan de Vries]] (1964), ''Altnordische Literaturgeschichte'' Vol. 2, 2nd ed. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 359–62 {{in lang|de}}.</ref> It has also been suggested that ''Hænsa-Þóris saga'' was written in response to a change in the law originating from King [[Magnus VI of Norway]]. According to the new law, a farmer was obliged to sell his neighbours hay if they were in great need. If he refused to sell the hay, he had to pay a fine, and if he resisted with force, his neighbours could attack him in turn without committing a crime. This was a novelty in Icelandic [[jurisprudence]], and a formal objection was raised against it at the [[Althing]] in 1281.<ref name=DeVries/> According to this theory, the saga was written as propaganda in favour of the new law.<ref>Björn Sigfússon (1962), "[http://m.timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=5268943 Staða Hænsa-Þóris sögu í réttarþróun 13. aldar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131194922/http://m.timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=5268943 |date=2017-01-31 }}", ''Saga'' III(3), pp. 345-370</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[ |
*[https://www.usask.ca/english/icelanders/proverbs_H%DES.html Proverbs in ''Hœnsa-Þóris saga''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508220330/http://www.usask.ca/english/icelanders/proverbs_H%DES.html |date=2016-05-08 }} |
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*[http://www.sagadb.org/haensna-thoris_saga Original text and translation at the Icelandic Saga Database] |
*[http://www.sagadb.org/haensna-thoris_saga Original text and translation at the Icelandic Saga Database] |
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*{{cite web|author=National and University Library of Iceland |title=AM 162 G fol. |work=handrit.is |url=http://handrit.is/en/manuscript/view/is/AM02-0162G |year=2009 |accessdate=2017-01-19}} |
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{{Icelandic_Sagas}} |
{{Icelandic_Sagas}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT: |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haensa Thoris Saga}} |
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[[Category:Sagas of Icelanders]] |
[[Category:Sagas of Icelanders]] |
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[[Category:Medieval literature]] |
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{{iceland-stub}} |
{{iceland-stub}} |
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[[es:Saga de Hænsna-Þóris]] |
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[[it:Hœnsa-Þóris saga]] |
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[[pl:Saga o Hønsa-Thórim]] |
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[[tr:Hænsna-Þóris saga]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:16, 8 November 2024
Hænsa-Þóris saga (Old Norse: Hœnsa-Þóris saga [ˈhøːnsa-ˌθoːres ˈsaɣa]; Icelandic: Hænsna-Þóris saga [ˈhainstna-ˌθouːrɪs ˈsaːɣa]; "The Saga of Hen-Thorir") is one of the sagas of Icelanders.
Plot
[edit]It tells the story of Hænsa-Þórir (Old Norse: Hœnsa-Þórir [-ˌθoːrez̠]; Icelandic: Hænsna-Þórir [-ˈθouːrɪr̥]; hænsn means "a hen"), a poor and unpopular man who acquires wealth as a merchant and manages to buy land. In the saga the upstart is compared negatively to his neighbours, who come from a more solid background; he causes strife between them. Eventually Hænsa-Þórir refuses to sell the neighbours hay for the winter. When they take the hay anyway, he burns them alive in their farmstead. A vendetta ensues in which Hænsa-Þórir is killed and beheaded; the neighbours then seal their differences with a marriage between their families.
Themes
[edit]The saga highlights aspects of Icelandic culture, such as hospitality to guests and travellers, (expected) generosity to one's neighbours, and the need to gather support of a chieftain in order to obtain justice. Ari Þorgilsson mentions the events in his Íslendingabók in connection with a change in Icelandic law, whereby a legal complaint was no longer to be brought to the closest Thing (assembly) but to the Quarter Thing.[1] It has also been suggested that Hænsa-Þóris saga was written in response to a change in the law originating from King Magnus VI of Norway. According to the new law, a farmer was obliged to sell his neighbours hay if they were in great need. If he refused to sell the hay, he had to pay a fine, and if he resisted with force, his neighbours could attack him in turn without committing a crime. This was a novelty in Icelandic jurisprudence, and a formal objection was raised against it at the Althing in 1281.[1] According to this theory, the saga was written as propaganda in favour of the new law.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Jan de Vries (1964), Altnordische Literaturgeschichte Vol. 2, 2nd ed. Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 359–62 (in German).
- ^ Björn Sigfússon (1962), "Staða Hænsa-Þóris sögu í réttarþróun 13. aldar Archived 2017-01-31 at the Wayback Machine", Saga III(3), pp. 345-370
External links
[edit]- Proverbs in Hœnsa-Þóris saga Archived 2016-05-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Original text and translation at the Icelandic Saga Database
- National and University Library of Iceland (2009). "AM 162 G fol". handrit.is. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
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