The Sagas

Icelandic literature

Icelandic epic literature was written down some two centuries after the island was settled in the 9th century. Icelandic epic can be divided into three categories:

1. Eddic poetry, i.e mythological and heroic poems;
2. skaldic poetry, or court poetry in praise of some event or person;
3. saga literature -- prose works ranging from fairly factual Iceland history writing to pure fiction.

The Icelandic Sagas

The Icelandic Saga is without doubt Iceland's most important contribution to world literature. They are medieval prose narrative, abounding in paradox and irony. Violence is pervasive, but the style is subdued. Heroism is praised, but moderation is more highly prized. Much is said of fate, but the complex characters seem to control their own destinies. The world of the Saga is pagan, but its ethos is humanitarian. Among the more historical Saga literature, based on both oral and written sources, the best known are Ari Thorgilsson's Islendingabok ( Icelandic history ), Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla ('The Disc of the World', a history of Swedish and Norwegian kings), and the anonymous Knytlinga Saga (a history of Danish kings). An excellent example of the fictional Saga is Hrafnkels Saga, a short bildungsroman. The family Sagas, such as Egils Saga (the story of Iceland's greatest skald, Egill Skallagrímsson) and Njals Saga, fall somewhere between the fictional and factual varieties of sagas.

Heimskringla ( Icelandic epic ) is the most celebrated of the Icelandic sagas, but the dramatic Egil's Saga (circa 1220) comes closer. The more ornate Laxdæla Saga (circa 1250) elaborates tragic themes from the poems of the Icelandic epic Edda. In Grettis Saga (circa 1300), which shares motifs with the Old English poem Beowulf, the hero succumbs to pagan sorcery. Njáls Saga (circa 1230-90) both glorifies and repudiates the Saga Age (870-1050), and provides an important description of the ancient Icelandic legal system. The most important of the legendary sagas is Völsunga Saga (circa1250); it was a major source for Wagner's operas, and Retell's parts of the Edda.

The Icelandic epic poems Edda and the Prose Edda

The Eddas are two collections of Old Icelandic writings, and together they form the most important source of Scandinavian mythology. The Poetic Edda is a collection of 34 Icelandic poems, interspersed with prose, dating from the 9th to the 12th century. The poems were composed by anonymous poets and deal mostly with mythological themes. Among the most important of these are the poems Völuspá (The vision of the Seeress) and Hávamál (The Speech of the High One). To give some taste of the nature of this poetry, here is a famous quote from Hávamál, where Odin ('The High One') speaks of how he acquired the art of casting runes by being sacrificed on a branch of the World Tree:

I know I hung
on the wind swept Tree
through nine days and nights

I was struck with a spear
and given to Odin,
myself given to myself

They helped me neither
by meat nor drink
I peered downward,

I took up the runes,
screaming, I took them -
then I fell back.

The Icelandic epic Prose Edda is the younger one (circa 1220) is the work of the Snorri Sturluson. It was probably intended as a handbook for novice poets who wished to become skalds, or court poets, in a time when the old pagan tradition was already beginning to fade from men's minds but was still appreciated. Snorri was a brilliant stylist, writing in his native Icelandic; his Edda is no dry antiquarian treatise, but a witty, imaginative and lively account of the old tales of the gods. Despite his being a Christian, there is little doubt that Snorri has given us a faithful picture of Heathen Icelandic mythology as it was known in his day; there are few attempts at rationalizing or pointing towards some Christian moral teaching. It is difficult to know to how far removed Snorri's stories are from the living faith of the pagan era, but despite its limitations, the Prose Edda is the best introduction to the world of Scandinavian mythology in existence..

Later Icelandic epic literature

The Icelandic epic tradition climaxed in the 13th century. Pre-Reformation literature also includes Eysteinn Ásgrimsson's religious poem Lilja (14th century), a number of popular ballads, and the rímur, which were cycles of Icelandic epic poetry.After the Reformation, Iceland experienced three centuries of poverty, which also affected its literature, although in the 17th century Hallgrímur Pétursson wrote his important Passion Hymns. Romanticism bloomed in the 19th century in the poetry of Jónas Hallgrímsson and Grímur Thomsen, while the novelist Jón Thoroddsen foreshadowed realism. In the early 20th century some Icelanders began to write in Danish; the most important of them was the novelist Gunnar Gunnarsson. After World War I, Icelandic literature experienced a renaissance, especially in form of the poetry of Stefán frá Hvítadal, Davíð Stefánsson, and Tómas Guðmundsson. Of the prose writers of this era the most prominent were Þórbergur Þórðarson and the Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxness, the most important figure of modern Icelandic literature. After World War II another generation of poets emerged, introducing modernist features into the heavily traditional Icelandic poetry. Among the leaders of this avantgarde style were Steinn Steinarr and Jón úr Vör. Some of the writers active in Iceland today are the poets Hannes Pétursson and Snorri Hjartarson, and the novelists Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson (who is also a poet), Thor Vilhjálmsson, and Indriði G. Þorsteinsson.

Elf Iceland

Iceland hidden people and elf’s
Elf Iceland and hidden people in Iceland have lived with the people for centuries. If something is missing from us and we can't seem to find it we say that a elf queen have borrowed it. And usually we find it the day after or so right in front of us were we were looking the day before.

Huldufolk - the Hidden Folk, and Trolls
Iceland is geologically very young, constantly being reshaped by the forces of volcanic fire and ice, sparsely populated, and spectacularly and strangely beautiful. It is almost completely unspoilt and unpolluted. Therefore I am not surprised at the high percentage of Icelanders - one of the most highly educated and technically sophisticated people in the world - who believe in the existence of the nature spirits who have long thrived in such an environment. Fifty-three percent of the population either believe in, or do not deny, their existence. The forms these inhabitants of the spirit world take are many. Some are malevolent, such as afturganga, zombies who return after death in an attempt to carry others away with them. Some are lovely, like the light-faeries who look like angels, or the huge and radiant mountain spirits, who may be several meters tall. But perhaps the most interesting are the elf Iceland or huldufolk and the trolls. Huldufolk means "hidden people" and one tale of their origins concerns Eve, the mother of human creation. Eve had many children, and when God announced he was about to pay a visit to her, she worked hard to clean them up so they would be presentable to Him. Alas, time was short, and a certain number of her children remained unwashed. Rather than present them to God, she hid them. God arrived, inspected the children present with approval, and then asked Eve if she had any others. Fearful, she denied their existence. As a result elf Iceland children were destined forever to remain hidden. That is, until they wish to make themselves seen. Of all the spirit world, elf Iceland are the most like humans, except they are inevitably more beautiful, talented, and charming. They interact with humans when and where they wish to. They are generally benign, but terrible things have occurred to those who have wantonly disturbed or destroyed their dwellings, from huge cost overruns on construction sites to accidents and even death.

Iceland hidden people

There are many stories that elf Iceland and hidden people live in larger boulder inside and outside of Reykjavik. e.g. the story that was written in a newspaper several years ago about the difficulty in building the new connecting road to the tunnel under Hvalfjorður (Whale Fjord) to the town of Akranes. Construction equipment repeatedly broke down when it approached the boulder, which was scheduled to be moved. A local woman, known to be able to communicate with Iceland elf's, was called in. She reported that the spirits were preparing to vacate but needed more time. Time was granted, and the woman made a final trip to the boulder to announce that construction could recommence. Likewise, when the first shopping mall, Smáralind, was built near to the suspected dwellings of gnomes, electrical cables and other underground utilities were carefully rerouted to avoid disturbance.But Iceland elf can be highly sociable, actively seeking out human company. Sometimes they appear in times of need. The trade union leader Tryggvi Emilsson fell down a cliff face as a young man and was saved by a Iceland elf's maiden. He never forgot her haunting beauty. At other times the Iceland elf's need our assistance. In the past Iceland elf's men have asked human women to assist at their wive's difficult births. And occasionally Iceland elf's of both sexes will become intimate with human beings. An experience said to be utterly delightful, according to the few men and woman fortunate enough to be chosen.

We have one road in Iceland that is named "Álfhólsvegur" Elf-road in Kopavogur. It was supposed to be a straight road, properly made by a ruler on the map in the beginning. But when they were building it the builder came a cross elf Iceland rock were the road were supposed to lie. They began to move the big rock, but then an accident occur and another on. So they decided it would be best to let the elf Iceland rock be unmoved. And to day there is a big curve around the big elf Icelandic rock.

Santa clause

History of santa claus

Some spirits are strictly seasonal. Like other Scandinavian countries, Iceland has Santa clauses - jolasveinar. In Iceland these are the thirteen sons of the wicked ogress Gryla, renowned for stealing naughty children for her ever-bubbling stew pot. Litlle girsl are warned to be a good little girl on threat of Gryla. The boys crept down from the hills in the thirteen days preceding Christmas to wreck havoc on unsuspecting families. Skyrgamur ("Curd Glutton") creeps into pantries and gobbles up all the delicious skyr. Gluggagægir ("Window Peeper") peers through windows, eyeing what he intends to steal. Askasleiker ("Bowl Licker") and Hurðaskellir ("Door Slammer") live up to their names. And so on. In recent days the Santa clauses jólasveinar's antics have been downgraded from malice to mischievousness, and now rather than stealing from the family tend to leave behind small gifts in children's shoes.

Trolls

Then there are trolls. This is a race of giants who with their giant animals lumber over the rocky and snowy face of Iceland. But trolls, mighty as they are, are night beings, highly susceptible to the Sun. In dark Winter they must revel without fear, for at the dawning of the day a troll creature will turn to stone if caught by a ray of Sun. Many strange rock formations rising above lava plains are said to be those of petrified trolls. One of the most dramatic is Hvitserkur, a troll cow poised forever taking a drink of sea water on the northwest coast.