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honesty that also marks the hero, as well as loyalty to Hallgerður, his
guardian. This type of man is, in fact, not driven by honour, which has
channelled the hero’s life forces into a coherent unconditional pattern, but
more instinctively by jealousy and aggression. the most common label
used in the saga about this character is ójafnaðarmaður, although it is
rather associated with a man of a higher social standing than Hrappur
(who does not get a separate introduction in the saga). The incentive for
action of the ójafnaðarmaður is also different since he is preoccupied with
power which he seeks to increase through means that are not accepted in
society. In their own way, each of these types can pose a threat to the need
for peaceful coexistence in an agrarian society.
the other main type serves the major role of channelling disputes into
processes that could lead to peace and settlement. In this role we find more
reflective and diplomatic characters who exemplify, at best, the virtues of
hóf, benevolence and friendship. Heinrich Beck has described such persons
as social heroes with a “clear insight into the existing social rules” and with
“the reputation, wealth, and authority to guarantee a balance, like Óláfr
pái”, or as bargainers aware of “all the shrewd ways of handling social
affairs, like Snorri Goði”.55 But in order to be worthy of the title “social
hero” this man needs to be well-intentioned. Moreover, he must not be
guided by the unconditional demand of sœmd, even though he is aware of
the importance of honour in all social affairs.
using Aristotle’s distinction, social heroes are characterized more by
reflective intellectual virtues than non-reflective moral virtues, which are
the distinctive mark of the romantic hero. the former is a matter of good
judgment while the latter is a state of character shaped in upbringing and
socialization, such as courage and moderation. However, full virtue
requires a proper interplay of both types of virtues. Gunnarr of Hlíðarendi
displays moral virtue but it is not enlightened by practical wisdom (which
he usually seeks in njáll’s advice). Njáls saga creates the “illusion” that the
characters get their virtue and vice stamp from their very first appearance
in the saga but the effects of their actions are much more ambiguous as
they weave into a complex web of interaction; “því at allt orkar tvímælis,
55 Heinrich Beck, “Laxdæla saga: A Structural Approach”, Saga Book of the Viking Society, XIX
(1974–77), 383–402.
An etHoS In tRAnSfoRMAtIon