Gripla - 01.01.1977, Page 22

18
GRIPLA
he says about places there. But on the whole his knowledge of Northern
Europe is not bad, and the same applies to the British Isles. In Iceland
his knowledge is most accurate at Þingvellir and in the Skaftafellssýslur,
while the route from the east to Þingvellir was thoroughly familiar to
him.
In the classical Sagas of Icelanders it is not usual to find more
description of nature than is demanded by the narrative. Though the
author of Njála does not diverge from this convention, he has, neverthe-
less, a rare visual talent and, in his own way, a feeling for nature, both
wild and gentle. Like other Sagas of Icelanders, though, Njála is pre-
eminently an anthropocentric work. The author’s subject is man—first
and foremost as an individual, but sometimes also as a member of a
group. The physical appearance of his characters is important, but their
personalities still more so. He is a tireless delver into the depths of the
human soul, and he is a master of language and style; whether in
narrative, description, or the nuances of dialogue. The reader must
have a sensitive ear, but given this he will be granted an astonishing
insight into these characters, though the writer rarely allows himself to
overstep the strict limits of the classical style.
Not only has the author of Njála an exceptional visual talent, a
wonderful mastery of language, and a knowledge of psychology. He is
also an enquirer into the deepest laws that govern the relationship
between men and events; the concepts of luck, fate, and finally provi-
dence are involved. While describing people he is ever grappling with
these ideas. Also with the relationship between a man’s morality and the
course of his life. In the author’s moral attitude we may detect a
constant interplay between the old and the new. We should never
forget this when trying to understand his outlook. His whole work is an
endless conflict of opposites. He is an Icelander of the thirteenth cen-
tury, endowed with all the breadth and depth of his age. He belongs to
a civilization in rapid transition.
But he is deeply rooted in his own land and in the heritage of his
own people. This is what makes his work uniquely regional and Ice-
landic, while it still remains of universal validity.
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