The Saga of Hávarður of Ísafjörður

Written between 1300 and 1350, The Saga of H嫛ar繠r of 疌afj顤繠r is a ninth-century Icelandic tale of conflict over sheep and stranded whales, magic and ghosts, seduction, murder, torture and revenge. H嫛ar繠r is an old man, a great Viking in his time but now past his prime, whose son 胵afur is killed by orm鶇ur, a local chieftain. The death of H嫛ar繠r's son sets the scene for a compelling narrative of revenge killings, lawsuits and settlements, which - through the saga's structure and its picturesque details - provides a fascinating insight to the political economy and social order of medieval Iceland. The first English translation of the saga since 1906, and the only one to remain faithful to the original text, Paul and Dorothy Durrenburger's masterful study not only preserves the integrity of the saga as a cultural artifact, but their definitive introduction and notes provide the scholarly context and anthropological perspective that are essential to acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the saga and medieval Icelandic society.