Njal's Saga 93-105

In these chapters, I noticed that there is another man named Starkad. I believe that the Kolskegg I read about several chapters ago whom Gunnar killed, is a diferrent one to the one who was mentioned a short while ago. Thanks to this passage on page 164 where it says "...the daughter os Starkad, I found out this was a possibility for the naming of Kolskegg after his supposed death.

I'm beginning to imagine what the Thing is. I think it is a setting in which prosecutions are held and important people around iceland a required to attend in order to make these proecutions successful. I came to this conclusion because on page 165, it is said that Njal attended the Thing, and although he gave his advice to both prosecutors and defendants, it only ended up in an unresolved quarrel and everyone returned home unsatisfied.

Njal's Saga 78-92

on page 130 I have found a very interesting quote: "...when Gunnar comes forth and tells us that he preffered to die rather than falter before his enemies. He has taught us what to do." The way I interpret this is that dying an honorable death is worth a lot more than leading a shameful life. And I have always believed that in life, there are many things worse than death.

I find that in chapter 81, it is the first time we hear God being mentioned. But something that truly caught my attention was that when they say what was last heard of Kolskegg they also say: "he is now out of the saga." I wonder if they say this because Kolskegg is either too or not at all important in the saga.

Njal's Saga 60-77

In these chapters I again see that things are moving very fast. In what was merely 3 paragraphs, a case in need of prosecution was introduced, solved, and then Gunnar returned home. I find it curious that some places are named the Thing and the Althing. I wonder if this has some further or more profound explanation. I don't know wether to consider this rapid pace a fault or an advantage. I think it is good that not too much time is spent on each account, yet I find it hard to keep track of so many events in so few chapters.

In chapter 62, Gunnar mentions a dream he has about wolves. At one point, he says: "...But they trampled Hjort donw and tore open his chest, and one wolf had his heart in his mouth." In this passage, i noticed that Gunnar mentions the wolf as a "he" instead of as an "it", and I wonder of this is a form of indicating the symbolism in his dream. Meaning the wolves are a way of symbolizing those who are about to attack.

Even though some parts are very breifly and concisely told, other episodes are depicted in such a thorough and engaging way. For example: this scene of the battle between gunnar, Kolskegg and Hjort against Starkad and his men is truly amazing. It is very much like the one where Gunnar kills Kolskegg and gains his special weapon, the halberd. I find these scenes to be indeed very colorful and descriptive, I can actually see what is going on in my head.

Njal's Saga 39-59

In these chapters I noticed the strong manifestation of belief in destiny and fate. On page 69, where Njal is with Thord and Thord notices a goat drenched in blood. He mentions this to Njal but he tells Thord that there is no goat, but that it is an image of his destiny. It is then that Njal tells Thord to watch his back, but Thord responds: "That won't do me any good," said Thord, "If my fate is sealed. In my opinion, I don't think fate holds such power over us. I believe we have the chance to take our life into our own hands and thus decide our fate. By making choices we either move toward or further away from this fate we have seen, but only by making the right choices will we be able to survive.

Njal's Saga 29-38

I don't understand why at one point, on page 50, Gunnar kills Kolskegg, but then he reappears in the next chapter (32). It suprises me how fast time goes by in this saga. One moment there is a married couple, and the next they are ivorced and he betrothed. Not to mention Gunnar and Hallgerd and their first meeting. They had just met and were casually talking when he decided to rpopose, and the mext moment they were preparing for the wedding.

Through the rest of these chapters I noticed that Gunnar's and Njal's wives don't get along, yet I don't understand why it is they just keep sending eachother's servants to kill eachother. Then they pay eachother back, appear to be at peace, but then one of them decides to start it all over again. I haven't quite understood why they continue doing this, but I hope to find out as I continue to read.

Njal's Saga 19-29

This, in my opinion has up till now been a much more enjoyable texta than what we have read. In these passages I thought that the way the piece is written is concise. For example, at the en of 24, when it speaks of Gunnar wining the case and handing the money to Unn, it does not go into a detailed description of how Gunnar exactly returned to hand over the money, and I like that. Sometimes it stresses me that readings go into to much detail, so much you loose the thread of the piece.