What is the meaning of the Old Norse word saga?
The Old Norse word saga means what is said, an utterance, or an oral account. Scholars in the eighteenth century borrowed this term directly into English to describe Old Norse prose narratives.
Questions about Saga
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When were kings sagas written and who compiled Heimskringla?
Kings' sagas chronicle the lives of Scandinavian rulers during the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. Snorri Sturluson compiled and composed Heimskringla as a pre-eminent example of this genre.
Where do most sagas of Icelanders take place and when did they occur?
Most sagas of Icelanders take place in the period 930 to 1030 known as söguöld or Age of the Sagas. These narratives often follow characters abroad to other Nordic countries, the British Isles, northern France, and North America.
How were Icelandic sagas transmitted before being written down?
Classical sagas were composed in the thirteenth century though scholars once believed they were transmitted orally until scribes wrote them down. Modern scholarship suggests these texts were conscious artistic creations based on both oral and written tradition.
Why did chieftains produce sagas in the decentralized Icelandic Commonwealth?
Chieftains documented past feuds to establish commonly agreed norms and rules within society. New principalities required leaders to emphasize common history and legends to build solidarity among followers.