Gripla - 20.12.2017, Page 64

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Snorri goði … and his counsels].71 the shrewdness of showing mercy to
his son amuses Snorri, who agrees to become Grettir’s ally, making it all
the more tragic when Snorri and Skapti, a powerful legal team, die prior to
the assembly at which Grettir is to have his outlawry reviewed.72 None of
this decoration need interfere with the kernels of two separate stories: that
of a man called Grettir who was outlawed but survived for nineteen years
afterwards, and that of Þorsteinn Kuggason, who was thought to be related
to Grettir, and was apparently killed in a dispute with Snorri goði.
additionally, Sámr Barkarson’s association with Snorri’s response to
Þorsteinn’s death is a significant detail. Sámr’s appearances in the sagas
are limited to this mention in Grettis saga and the fight against Óspakr in
Eyrbyggja saga. He is little more than a background name in both instances,
yet in both he is paired with Þóroddr Snorrason. If, as Jesch was inclined
to argue in her thesis, this scene in Grettis saga is pure authorial invention,
then why invent Sámr’s presence? It cannot be explained by any “useful”
narrative function or role in the plot; he is there because of his familial
connection to Snorri. for narrators who believed that they were telling
historical, or historically-plausible stories, there were no benefits to be had
from inventing the inclusion of a known person who amounted to little
more than narrative baggage.
Finally, Landnámabók reveals that Sámr was himself killed in an inci-
dent we have little knowledge of: “Þorgrímr, faðir Snorra goða, ok Bǫrkr
enn digri, faðir Sáms, er Ásgeirr vá” [Þorgrímr, the father of Snorri goði,
and Bǫrkr inn digri, father of Sámr, whom Ásgeirr killed].73 Nothing for
certain can be said about this incident, but, as Barði Guðmundsson noted,
Ásgeirr Kjartansson was Þorsteinn Kuggason’s foster-son.74 Little imagina-
tion is required for the bare bones of a typical feud to emerge: Þorsteinn
over-reaches in his pursuit of Hjarðarholt; Snorri has his rival killed, prob-
ably by Þóroddr and Sámr; Ásgeirr Kjartansson takes vengeance for the
death of his foster-father Þorsteinn by killing Sámr.
Þorsteinn Kuggason was well-connected enough to be the subject of
established narratives within the vast immanent whole that informed the
71 Grettis saga, 221.
72 Ibid., 243.
73 Landnámabók, 126.
74 Barði Guðmundsson, “tímatal,” 34.