The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1995, Page 70

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SPRING/SUMMER 1995
Magnusson was on the other side of the
mountain writing an inward kind of trav-
elogue that dealt with his terrible fear of
black magic that had been kindled by the
Lutheran doctrines, in his Pislarsaga.
Although the novelties of Icelandic 17lh
century prose are remarkable, the tradition
of the sagas puts it’s mark on the narrative,
in spite of the Danish and German influ-
ences in language and style. Just as the sons
of the saga chieftains went directly to the
king’s court, the poor farmer’s son from
Iceland met the King on one of the ships,
and according to himself, made a strong
impression on the King. And the further
away he travelled the more unlikely were
the things that happened. Jon gives an ac-
count of the daily life of common people
in Denmark and he describes the perils of
the oceans. Sometimes the events appear
comical to a modern reader, as when they
hung the cook for having left his
excrements in the bread cabin. His encoun-
ters with the wonders of the strange world
are often accounted for with keen obser-
vations as, for instance, when he describes
the dances of the ‘hottentotts’ on the Cape
of Good Hope, and the jugglers of India.
There are also grotesque exaggerations,
such as his description of the canon he was
shooting with blowing up. According to
Jon, he flew 60 fathoms into the air, sank
to the bottom of the sea, and got up again.
The flesh was almost entirely burned off
his fingers and blood and brain leaked
from his ears. When the doctor was treat-
ing him, he behaved like the great saga
heroes remaining calm and not uttering a
complaint. The incredible sufferings of the
crew during the journey back to Denmark
is also described in detail. The vessel drifted
back and forth in heavy storms for weeks,
and only half of the crew survived.
Travelling and adventures are an impor-
tant part of the self-understanding of Ice-
landic North Americans. The immigrants
saw themselves partly as the successors to
the early Vinland voyageurs. Therefore, the
adventures of Jon Indiafari should appeal
to their descendants as well. At present, the
number of those who are able to read Ice-
landic in North America is declining. It is
indeed natural, but it then becomes all the
more important to maintain cultural con-
nections with Iceland, in order to preserve
the access to classical Icelandic literature
of the previous centuries, as well as to the
vast amount of literature and other written
documents of the immigrants. English
translations of works such as Reisubok Jons
Indtafara, and indeed many others, would
certainly enhance the connections between
Iceland and North Americans of Icelandic
descent. Both parties deserve it and would
benefit from it.
Island Home
Thora’s Island Home
By Sylvia Sigurdson. White Rock, B.C.:
Eyja Publishing, 1994. Pp. 112.
Reviewed by Kristiana Magnusson.
Most writers tend to write about the famil-
iar things in their lives — familiar places,
people and events. In her book Thora’s Is-
land Home, first-time novelist Sylvia
Sigurdson places her setting in a familiar
and beloved place — Hecla Island.