Skáldskaparmál - 01.01.1994, Page 132

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Marianne Kalinke
Einum vann eg eiða.
Ann eg vel björtum manni. (p. 1961)
Moreover, when Ólöf’s father gives her in marriage to Ketill of Raumaríki, the
narrator reports that almost everyone was aware that Ólöf would prefer to marry
Þorgrímur. Her implied assent to the abduction and thereby her decision against
her father in favor of her lover necessitates fleeing to Iceland. Contrasting with
events in the forestory, Ólöf’s son continues to implore Ketilríður, and she
continues to repeat her objections. Nonetheless, the community seems to approve
of their relationship, for “töluðu það og margir að það þætti jafnræði fyrir flestra
hluta sakir” (p. 1963). Moreover, as happened in the case of Þorgrímur and Ólöf,
it is rumored, “að þau muni eiðum hafa bundið sitt eiginorð” (p. 1964). Thus
concludes the first chapter of the tale of Víglundur and Ketilríður. To judge by
an immediate shift of focus in the saga, Víglundur is given no opportunity to
approach Ketilríður’s father with a marriage proposal, for most of the subsequent
developments in the plot are initiated by those opposed not only to Víglundur
but also to his father.
Þorbjörg’s dislike of her daughter and the protectiveness of her father are the
indirect causes of her falling in love with Víglundur in the sense that because of
her parents’ conflicting views on education she is placed in a position to get to
know the young man. Ketilríður’s objection to a betrothal to Víglundur hinges
on her relationship to her father and mother. She considers it inappropriate to
disregard her father’s wishes — moreover, as she herself says, she does not wish
to do so — and in any case she is powerless to decide for herself, since most
decisions are made by the mother. This becomes clear in the following chapters,
as Ketilríður’s brothers become ever more unruly and unpopular in the district
— the narrator remarks that they follow in their mother’s footsteps (p. 1964) —
yet their father seemingly can do nothing about the situation. The narrator’s
comment that “Hólmkeli var það leitt og gat þó ekki að gert” (p. 1964) is parallel
to his earlier remark, which was generated by the mother’s refusal to educate
Ketilríður, that “þótti Hólmkeli bónda mikill skaði” (p. 1963).
Conflict in “Víglundar saga og Ketilríðar” surfaces following a remark con-
cerning rumors of the secret betrothal of the couple (p. 1964), and is directly
generated by Ketilriður’s brother Einar. He complains to his mother that “Þor-
grímur inn prúði hefir svo mikil metorð hér í heraðinu” (p. 1964), and he
proposes — and Þorbjörg assents — to rape Ólöf. Þorgrímur will have to avenge
the deed, he says, lest he suffer a diminution of his standing; and if he does so,
his success is not at all assured. The attempted rape is foiled, however, through
the cleverness of Ólöf, and when the brothers learn that they have been duped,
“þóttust þeir hafa farið mikla smánarferð” (p. 1965). The unsuccessful effort to
violate Ólöf (ch. 8), with the consequent disgrace it brings to the Fossverjar, is
the beginning of a series of aggressive acts by Ketilríður’s mother and brothers
against Víglundur and his family. They include a vicious horsefight, ending with