Lögberg - 30.07.1936, Blaðsíða 11

LÖGBERG, FIMTUDAGINN 30. JÚLl, 1936
11
authority: “Yet, after the purga-
tory of critical examination, the
sum of facts retained by the sagas
is still so large, that they alone
permit us to write the history of
centuries.” (Halvdan Koht).
Debatable as it may be, how
accurately the sagas depict real
historical events, there is full
agreement about their signifi-
cance as an expression of the life
and the culture of the age which
produced them. They cast a flood
of light not only upon the civili-
zation of Iceland of old, but no
less upon the whole realm of
ancient Scandinavian and Ger-
manic culture. “It is the great
triumph of the saga-writers,”
comments Sir William A. Craige,
“that they have succeeded in giv-
ing an almost complete picture of
old Scandinavian life in all its as-
pects, and thus help towards an
understanding of the early civili-
zation of other Germanic races.”
The Sagas of Icelanders are,
however, much more than cultur-
al-historical documents of first
importance. As literature they
are unique and excellent. Their
style is vigorous, clear and con-
cise. There is strict economv of
phrase. The story is generally
told in a simple and straight-for-
ward manner. Still another great
literary quality marks the sagas;
they are free from comment on
the writer’s part, from all intrus-
ion of his own person. He has the
role of an impartial observer,
zealously keeping himself in the
background. Very rarely does he
condemn or extol the conduct of
'his men and women; as a result
the story is not burdened with
direct moralizing. The saga-
writer knows his art and his aud-
ience; he leaves something to the
imagination. The sagas are rich
in eloquent silences, and this is
not the least remarkable in their
literary excellences.
Usually the sagas are told with
great technical skill; there are
quick turns of dialogue and often
a brilliant evolution of plot. The
best of the Sagas of Icelanders
áre unified and logical in their
construction, each event follow-
íng the other as decreed by the
law of cause and effect. “We see,
step by step, incident after inci-
dent, how the strands of tragedy
are being woven, or how great
events may spring from small
causes.” (B. Phillpotts). Here is,
indeed, the realism of life itself.
Without resorting to minute
psychological analysis, the saga-
w r i t e r s excell in character -
delineation. Their men and wom-
en are revealed through their own
actions and utterances, a n d
through public opinion. This is,
after all, the way we learn to
know people in real life; and the
saga - writers use this simple
method artistically and effective-
ly. They succeed in drawing full-
length portraits not only of the
important persons, but of the
minor characters as well. Profes-
sor Halvdan Koht does not exag-
gerate when he writes: “Indeed,
the Icelandic sagas present a
whole gallery of individualized
and interesting characters which
.stand out before us so clearly and
palpably that we seem to know
them personally.”
Of the Icelandic sagas The
Story of Burnt Njal (Njals saga)
is the most elaborate and the most
famous; here the art of the saga
reaches its highest development.
George W. Dasent, whose transla-
tion of this saga into English has
itself become a classic (in Every-
man’s Library), says: “This trag-
ic story bears away the palm for
truthfulness and beauty.” Pene-
trating character-portrayal, narra-
tive excellence, and tragic in-
tensity go here hand in hand. Of
the other longer sagas, the Egils
saga, Laxdaela saga, and Grettis
saga are specially wrorthy of at-
tention. Among the shorter sagas,
Hrafnkels saga, Gisla saga Surs-
sonar and Gunnlaugs saga are of
particular interest. In fact, all
the sagas make interesting read-
ing, despite their differences in
historical accuracy and literary
merit.
Assuredly, the Icelandic sagas
are a notable contribution to
world literature. Of even greater
significance are those two remark-
able collections of Old Icelandic
poetry, the Eddas. Here I shall
only discuss the older one of the
two, the Poetic Edda. It con-
sists of a large number of poems
dealing with Old Norse mythol-
ogy, heroic legends, and moral
teachings. These poems are com-
posed in simple but dignified
verse forms befitting their ele-
vated themes. Neither the auth-
ors nor the compiler of these
poems are known to us. Their
date of composition ranges from
800 to 1100, broadly speaking, al-
though on this point scholars con-
tinue to differ considerably. These
poems were. not, however, put into
writing until after 1100, most of
them probably between 1150 and
1250. Here is not the place to
consider the much debated ques-
tion of the home of the Eddic
poems. One thing is certain, they
have been preserved in Iceland,
and there only. Although they
are traditional in nature, and have
come down to us more or less
mutilated, the best of them, at
least, have clearly been fashionecl
and polished by a masterhand.
Naturally, they differ greatly in
subject matter, style, form and
spirit.
The Poetic Edda opens dram-
atically and most appropriately
with the Sibyl’s Vision (Volti-
spa). This poem has been called
a “Norse Book of Genesis.” It is
even more than that, as it deals
not only with beginnings but also
with the ultimate destiny of man
and this world. It preserves the
answers which the Norsemen
gave to the perennial questions:
“Where did I come from ? Who
am I? Where am I bound?” Tn
this sonorous and mighty lay we
listen to an inspired prophetess
addressing her words to Odin
himself and the assembled gods.
Her words are mystical and terse,
dealt out with a sparing hand,
but impressive and profound, and
therefore difficult of interpreta-
tion, a task made doubly hard as
the poem has come down to us
deplorably mutilated. The follow-
ing lines suggest the elevation of
the vast sweep of the poem;
through them we sense the infini-
tude of the empty space before
the creation of the world:
“Was neither sand nor sea, nor
surges cool;
No world in being, above, no
heaven,
The void yawned vast, was
verdure nowhere.”
(Phillpotts translation).
Here is sublimity and severity
of tone w'orthy of a Milton. No
translation, be it ever so master-
ful, does full justice to the solernn
beauty and the poetical excellence
of the Sibyl’s Vision, which is ob-
viously the work of a poet w ith
rare masterv of form and equally
rare imaginative power.
On level with this remarkable
lay in interest and significance is
another Eddic poem, the Sayings
of the High One (Havamal),
which has lieen referred to as a
“Norse Book of Proverbs.” It is
largely a collection of wise pre-
cepts tersely expressed, ascribed
to Odin, the god-head himself.
Here we find the most direct and
the most complete presentation of
the Old Norse philosophy of life.
The poem contains rules of social
conduct, equally true and useful
in our day as they w'ere a thous-
and years ago, but in even a
larger degree, it embodies moral
principles applicable to any situa-
tion in life, ethical teachings al-
ways the same. Hospitality, gen-
erosity, moderation are some of
the virtues extolled. The author
emphasizes the perishableness of
wealth, which he finds “the most
fickle of friends.”
The Norsemen w^ere ever a
liberty-loving people, pronounced
individualists. Therefore, as
might be expected, the poet stress-
eA independence, self-reliance; at
the same time he does not forget
that man is fundamentally a social
being, that he cannot develop
fully by living only to bimself.
Tlie deep-rooted need of man for
human fellowship is emphasized
in several stanzas. ' The poem.
especially, has a great deal to say
about friendship. The, poet paints
an unforgettable picture of a lone
pine tree on a hill symbolizing a
man “whom none doeth love.”
This ancient poem also ex-
presses the fatalism of the Norse-
men. To them life was transi-
tory, a passing show. Neverthe-
less, this conception did not pro-
duce in them the ordinary resolve
to enjoy today to the fullest
for tomorrow may never come.
On the contrary, the fatalism of
the Norsemen bred in them a
spirit of courage and fortitude, a
determination to quit themselves
like men. According to their
view of life, only one thing was
lasting in this world of constant
change: the noble name a man
gains for himself. For the Norse-
men life was therefore to be meas-
ured in no.ble deeds. Which is
but another way of saying that
the worth of the individual is the
main thing. For what a man does
is but the expression and the ex-
tension of what he is.
Nor are the sagas and the Eddas
significant in the literary history
of the world only because of their
inherent artistic merit and his-
torical importance. They have
been a fountain of living water;
directly or indirectly they have
given birth to many literarv
ma:sterpieces. Ibsen and Bjorn-
son, Norway’s great masters in
| the realm of letters, owed the saga
literature a great debt. Richard
Wagner, the renowned composer.
sought inspiration in the Eddic
poems. English writers from
Thomas Gray to the present Poet
Laureate have found in Old Ice-
landic literature themes worthy
of their genius. And these are but
few instances of the fructifying
power of the sagas and the Eddas.
Naturally, the influence of
these \tritings has been felt mQSt
strongly in Iceland itself. There
it has been a vital force in keep-
ing alive a remarkable literary
activity. From the “Saga-Age”
down to the present time literary
production has never ceased in
Iceland. At times the fire has
burned low, but there have alwavs
been living embers on the hearth.
Every century produced some
writers of note. The ancient lit-
erature never entirely lost its hold
on the people. The voices of the
masters were never silenced al-
together. In fact, there is a mark-
ed continuity in Icelandic litera-
ture from its béginning to our
day. Moreover, in proportion to
the population, which is only a
little over a hundred thousand,
the present literary production of
Iceland is unusually large. Need-
less to say, it is not all of high
quality. Several of the Icelandic
writers of the last fifty years
have, however, added to the litera-
ture of their country works of
genuine and lasting merit, de-
serving of attention in other
lands.
From “The Sayings of
the High One”
(Hávamal)
Translated by
Watson Kirkconnell
Better baggage one cannot b®ar
On a wanderer’s road than
wisdom ;
It is better than wealth on distant
ways,
A shield for the shelterless
sufferer.
Far is the road to a foeman’s
house
Though his home on thy high-
way be;
But prompt and straight is the
path to a friend
Though he dwell on the distant
hills. „
One’s home is best though it be
a hut;
There man is a man indeed.
A pair of goats and a patched-up
thatch
Far better be than begging.
Once I was young and went
alone;
Then, wandering, missed my
way;
I felt myself rich when I found a
friend,
For man is the solace of man.
The bitter pangs of the broken
heart
None but the sufferer knows.
No woe is worse to the wise of
heart
Than to lose all liking for life.
The goodliest gifts that man can
gain
Are fire, the sight of the sun,
Health to hearten his earthly
hope,
And life of guileless living.
Cattle perish, and kinsmen die,
And soon you die yourself;
But a noble name will never die,
’Tis a prize that never passes.
The fool may hope, by fleeing the
fight,
To live for ever and ever;
But the aches and the ails of age
will come
Although the spears have
spared him.
The wakeful fool will waste his
night
Brooding upon his burdens;
By the morning watch he is worn
with worry,
And burdens are just as bitter.
The man of malice," whose mind
is warped,
Scoffs in scorn at all things;
He does not know what indeed
he ought:
He is full ofTaults himself.
The son of a king shoukl be silent
and thoughtful,
And brave on the day of battle;
But every man should be merry
and bold
Till the dav of his death shall
come. ,
If thou hast a friend of the fullest
trust,
Go thou and greet him often!
Eor grass and brambles soon
overgrow
The trail that is seldom trod.
Be not the first to break with a
friend
The faith that has bound you
fast,
Care eats the heart that has no
friend
To share its shrift of sorrow.
Gunnar’s Wooing
From Njals Saga
Translated by
George W. Dasent
So Gunnar rode, and they all
rode. But when they came to the
Thing they were so well arrayed
that none could match them in
bravery; and men came out of
every booth to wonder at them.
Gunnar rode to the booths of the
men of Rangriver, and was there
with his kinsmen. Many men
came to see Gunnar, and ask tid-
ings of him ; and he was easy and
merry to all men, and told them
all they wished to hear.
It happened one day that Gun-
nar went away from the Hill of
Laws, and passed by the booths
of the men from Mossfell; then
he saw a woman coming to meet
him, and she was in goodly attire;
but when they met she spoke to
Gunnar at once. He took her
greeting well, and asks what
woman she might be. She told
him her name was Hallgerda, and
sad she was Hauskuld’s daughter,
Dalakoll’s son. She spoke up
boldly to him, and bade him tell
her of his voyages; but he said
he would not gainsay her a talk.
Then they sat them down and
talked. She \Vas so clad that she
had on a red kirtle, and had
thrown over her a scarlet cloak
trimmed with needlework down
to the waist. Her hair came down
to her bosorn, and she was both
fair and full. Gunnar was clad
in the ácarlet clothes which King
Harold Gorm’s son had given
him; he had also the gold ring
on his arm which Earl Hacon had
given him.
So they talked out loud, and at
last it came about that he asked
whether she were unmarried. She
said, so it was, “and there are not
many who would run the risk of
that’”
“Thinkest thou none good
enough for thee?”
“Not that,” she says, “but I am
said to be hard to please in hus-
bands.”
“How wouldst thou answer,
were I to ask for thee?”
“That can not be in thy mind,”
she says.
“It is though,” says he.
“If thou hast any mind that
way, go and see my father.”
After that they broke off their
talk.
Gunnar went straghtway to the
Dalesmen’s booths, and met a
man outside the doorway, and
asks whether Hauskuld were in-
side the booth?
The man says that he was.
Then Gunnar went in, and Haus-
kuld and Hrut made him wel-
come. He sat down between
them and no one could find out
from their talk that there had ever
been any misunderstanding be-
tween them. At last Gunnar s
speech turned thither: how these
brothers would answer if he asked
for Hallgerda?
“Well,” says Hauskuld, “if that
is indeed thy mind.”
Gunnar says that he is in
earnest, “but we so parted last
time, that many would think it
unlikely that we should ever be
bound together.”
“How thinkest thou, kinsman
Hrut?” says Hauskuld.
Hrut answered: “Methinks this
is no even match.”
“How dost thou make that
out?” says Gunnar.
Hrut spoke: “In this wise will I
answer thee about this matter, as
is the very truth. Thou art a
brisk brave man, well to do, and
unblemished; but she is much
mixed up with ill report, and I
will not cheat thee in anything.
“Good go with thee for thy
words,” says Gunnar, “but still
shall I hold it for true, that the
old feud weighs with ye, if ye will
not let me make this match.”
“Not scj,” says Hrut, “t’is more
because I see that thou art unable
to help thyself; but though we
make no bargain, we would still
be thy friends.”
“I have talked to her about it,”
says Gunnar, “and it is not far
from her mind.”
Hrut says: “I know that you
have both set your hearts on this
match; and, besides, ye two are
those who run the most risk as
to how it turns out.”
Hrut told Gunnar unasked all
about Hallgerda’s temper, and
Gunnar at first thought that there
was more than enough that was
wanting; but at last it came about
that they struck a bargain.
Then Hallgerda was sent for,
and they talked over the business
when s’he was bv, and now, as
before, they made her betroth her-
self. The bridal feast was to be
at Lithend, and at first they were
to set about it secretly; but the
end after all was that everyone
knew of it.
Gunnar rode home from the
Thing, and came to Bergthors-
knoll, and told Njal of the bar-
gain he had made. He took it
heavily.
Gunnar asks Njal why he
thought this so unwise?
“Because from her,” says Njal,
“will arise all kind of ill if she
comes hither east.”
“Never shall she spoil our
friendship,” says Gunnar.
“Ah! but yet that may come
very near,” says Njal; “anc(, be-
sides, thou wilt have always to
make atonement for her.”
Gunnar asked Njal to the wed-
ding, and all those as well whom
he wished should be at it from
Njal’s house.
Njal promised to go; and after
that Gunnar rode home, and then
rode about the district to bid men
to his w'edding.
Einkennileg og óútreiknanleg er
ástin. í borginni Agitsch í Jugo-
slavíu stóð nýlega brúSkaup. Brúð-
urin var iy ára, en brúðguminn 99
ára. En þaS sem merkilegast þykir
er, að brúðurin er fögur og stór-
rik, en brúðguminn bláfátækur og
nijög ljótur.
TWfanttelW dnmpöng.|
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