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GRIPLA
Kierkegaard, S0ren. 2000. Uggur og ótti. Þrætubókarljóð eftir Johannes de silentio.
Þýð. Jóhanna Þráinsdóttir. Inngangur eftir Kristján Amason. Hið íslenska bók-
menntafélag, Reykjavík.
Kristján Jóhann Jónsson. 1998. Lykillinn aö Njálu. Vaka - Helgafell, Reykjavík.
Lönnroth, Lars. 1976. Njáls saga. A Critical Introduction. University of Califomia
Press, Berkeley.
Páll Valsson. 1999. Jónas Hallgrímsson. Ævisaga. Mál og menning, Reykjavík.
Stjórn. Gammelnorsk Bibelhistorie fra Verdens Skabelse til det babyloniske Fangen-
skab. Útg. C. R. Unger. Christiania, 1862.
SUMMARY
Attention is drawn to similarities among the figures of Abraham, Njáll and Byron as
decision makers. Each of them takes what Kierkegaard refers to as a ‘leap of faith;’
and the tuming point in each of their lives comes when the demands of logic are denied
and choices are dictated by faith and emotion.
Kierkegaard wrote about Abraham’s sacrifice in his book Frygt og Bæven (Fear
and Trembling). He argues that if individuals feel obliged to violate an ethical law, no
one can tell them whether this is a genuine decree of God or a mere temptation—such
decisions have to be made in blind faith. This is Abraham’s dilemma when he decides
to offer up his son; and it is Njáll’s dilemma when, firstly, he resolves to add an item of
women’s clothing to the pile of money intended as compensation for the killing of
Höskuldur, and, later, when he urges his family to go inside in order to defend them-
selves against Flosi and his supporters. By these decisions, Njáll sacrifices his family
and places his patriarchal role in the hands of God.
Alongside Kierkegaard’s view of Abraham’s sacrifice, Grímur Thomsen claimed
in 1845 that Lord Byron had sacrificed himself for westem culture. Such interpreta-
tions were not uncommon in the nineteenth century and may help to explain the pop-
ularity of Njáls saga during that period. Njáll’s patriarchy may be seen as spiritually
akin to that of both Abraham and Byron. Their personal freedom manifests itself not
only in their apparent denial of reason and logic, but also in their respect for the dic-
tates of their own emotions and beliefs. Many individuals in the nineteenth century
identified with such dilemmas.
Kristján Jóhann Jónsson
Barmahlíð 8
105 Reykjavík
kjj@simnet.is