“The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal” is a legendary account on lives of the islanders that lived in the North. It’s main purpose is to explain how the society of that part of the world functioned, what was important for the people, and how they resolved their conflicts. The stories are about justice, honor, and strong bonds that developed between men. There are many characters in the book, and each of them carries their own purpose (usually either an example of a proper behavior, or an anti-example.) In this paper, I’m going to look into the society’s values and examine its major principles.
The story, which best illustrates the way the system of power worked, is the story of Ingimund and King Harald. Ingimund decided to join King Harald in the battle and offered him his help, as he found him “the worthiest of all the mightiest men” (Smiley 58). The reason why King Harald was so widely respected was because of his outstanding character traits: the king was just to everybody who stood by him during the battles, and he was generous when it came to sharing treasures and giving thanks to his co-warriors. For his outstanding courage and his achievements on the battlefield, Ingimund received respect and wealth from King Harald. The latter even arranged marriage for Ingimund with a beautiful noblewoman, and Ingimund had many sons with her later on.
King Harald was indeed a fine and honest man. But his respect didn’t come from nowhere and thus had to be won. He wasn’t equally kind to everyone. He turned into a ruthless ruler when it came to those who fled from the battlefield and didn’t find enough courage to struggle against the enemy. This taught people of Vatnsdal how not to behave. Yellow, cowardice and fear were not the traits that men of Vatnsdal should’ve had. Saemund, who was Ingimund’s foster-bother, didn’t want to join King Harald and fight the local chieftains. Here, I found Ingimund’s behavior worth mentioning. He first tried to talk his foster-bother into joining King Harald, but when he failed, he tried to protect Saemund in the eyes of the King. He claimed that Saemund shouldn’t have been judged based on the fact that he didn’t take part in the battle only, and that Saemund had other character traits that were worth respecting. This case tells a lot about the bonds that developed between the two men, who were not even biologically related. Friendship (or brotherhood) played an important part in the society of Vatnsdal. Friends stood for each other and were not afraid to talk for each other in front of the King.
Not less important were the ties between fathers and sons. In the book, Ingimund and his father Thorstein were very close. When Ingimund returned home, his father welcomed him with open arms because he could now be proud of his son. Parents named their children after their parents and grandparents. They believed that names carried strength of the people that borne them before. Ingimund was named after his grandfather, “the noblest of men” (Smiley 61), and after he returned with honor, Thorstein’s expectations were met. Foster-fathers were not less respected, and the ties with them were not less strong than that with the biological parents.
“The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal” illustrates the main traditions and ethics that were present in the society of the North hundreds of years ago. With the help of legends, it explains what people respected and what disdained. I have pointed out some of the major principles and explained the way they played out in people’s daily lives. Although characters and some events are legendary, many parts of the account are historically accurate.
Works Cited
Smiley, Jane. The Sagas of the Icelanders: A Selection. London: Penguin, 2001. Print.
