Eirik The Red and Other Icelandic Sagas (Oxford World's Classics)

This is a review of "Eirik the Red and Other Icelandic Sagas," a mid-twentieth-century translation of medieval literature, with some reflections on the word "saga," and the various uses of it. (I've re-read the volume from time to time since the early 1970s, so I am more familiar with the contents than the limited amount of detail -- or of spoilers -- included here may indicate.)Gwyn Jones (1907-1999) was a medievalist, a translator (from Welsh and Old Norse), a novelist and short-story writer, and at times an editor who published pieces by T.S. Eliot and J.R.R. Tolkien (in "The Welsh Review"). He should not be confused with, e.g., the Welsh novelist, short story writer, and poet Glyn Jones [1905-1995] -- See Wikipedia for both, plus several others with one or another of the two similar names (disambiguations).Gwyn Jones' "Eirik the Red and Other Icelandic Sagas" (1961) is a short (318 pages of text), but remarkably varied, collections of both Sagas proper and shorter stories (thattr) usually founded embedded in other, longer, works. It was originally published as a small, blue-bound hardcover, in the original "World's Classics" series from Oxford University Press, and re-issued as a mass-market paperback in 1980. The present edition is under the "Oxford World's Classics" series title, in its slightly larger paperback format.All of the material has been translated by others -- some pieces several time -- but Gwyn Jones' translations read well (I think), and are regarded as reliable representatives of the text editions he had available over half a century ago. It contains nine stories, eight of them about Icelanders (like the bulk of the sagas available in English), and, as the conclusion, one "legendary" saga set in early medieval Scandinavia (some of its characters have exact or approximate counterparts in the Anglo-Saxon poem "Beowulf").Jones' short but informative Introduction includes the proper Icelandic titles of all of these. The contents are (using his English titles): "Hen-Thorir;" The Vapnfjord Men" and the related shorter tale, "Thorstein Staff-Struck;" "Hrafnkel the Priest of Frey;" "Eirik the Red" (the title piece, one of the two "Vinland Sagas" about Icelanders in North America); the very short "Thidrandi Whom the Goddesses Slew;" "Authun and the Bear," (a particularly charming short story); "Gunnlaug Wormtongue" (the story of a poet, and one of the handful of significant "love stories" in medieval Icelandic literature); and, in conclusion, the relatively long (almost 100 pages) "King Hrolf and His Champions" (otherwise known as "Hrolf Kraki's Saga").As Jones points out, the last of these is much more like the common notion of a Norse saga than most of the saga literature, what with expectations of Viking adventures, Norse gods, trolls, and the like. (There is a more recent translation, as "The Saga of Hrolf Kraki," by Jesse L. Byock, in the Penguin Classics.) Until recently, translations were mostly confined to the "Sagas of the Icelanders," historical-looking accounts of the settlement of Iceland (around 800 AD) and disputes and feuds, and court adjudications of them, during the next several hundred years. And handful of older translations of legendary and fictional sagas, or images derived from them, seem to have made a lasting impression on "common knowledge."Although "saga" was in fact used by the medieval Icelanders to describe just about any narrative, including translations of Latin Lives of Saints, the Tale of Troy, and French chivalric romances, a modern, slightly technical, use of the term is more restricted. It chiefly denotes stories originally written in Old Icelandic (and a few in Old Norwegian), especially those dealing with Icelanders at home and abroad; plus a few covering other Scandinavians, such as Norwegian Kings, and the Norse Earls of Orkney. They are notable for realism of content (allowing for the belief in the supernatural), and for an extremely lean prose, not always reflected in translations (Jones was very careful about this).Also included are the "legendary sagas," such as "Hrolf Kraki," based on both Scandinavian and common-Germanic hero-tales (e.g., various versions of the story of Sigurd the Volsung). There are, too, invented adventure stories, often involving Icelanders, some not, which use the characteristic saga-style; surviving examples are apparently late, but they existed early on, and are legitimately classed as sagas. (For some examples see Penguin Classics' "Seven Viking Romances.")It is not entirely inappropriate to refer to similar bodies of literature -- like Old Irish narratives -- as sagas, but the common use (observable in all-too-many blurbs) to call just about any purportedly exciting narrative a "saga" is just confusing. Somewhat more understandable is a term like "family saga" for a tale encompassing several generations, which is in fact characteristic of some Icelandic sagas.Those interested in Gwyn Jones other work as a saga-translator may want to look for a copy of his version of the (much longer) major Saga of the Icelanders, "Egil's Saga" ("The Saga of Egil son of Skallagrim"), unfortunately out of print, which I reviewed when it was available from a dealer. This review may not be easy to find except on my "My Reviews" page, but I have also reviewed other translations on Amazon, discussing Jones' treatment in passing.

The book came a lot quicker than expected (which was a very good thing!). It is also in fantastic condition.

My favorite translator for the Sagas. He has an ear, avoids academic dryness, doesn't attempt to approximate the Icelandic, which can just be a little nuts, edits out what needs to be edited out. Great intro.

I love, love, love this book!! Oxford Word's Classics are top quality!! I recommend this book to anybody who wants to learn about the Viking Age and Icelandic Sagas!! (And in general Vinland - Viking North America-) The book is great, the translation is great, the notes in the book are awesome and helpful!! If you want to buy an awesome book, for the right price. Buy this!! Fast shipping too!

Folklore, though worthy of preservation, and of some attention and study by historians, philologists, and anthropologists, is invariably mythologized. The Icelandic Sagas in part may incorporate bits of actual history, but it is fragmental and distorted. Ethnocentric, prideful people place the highest value on folklore, as do some narrowly focused scholars, and, I suppose, romantics. To me, most of it warrants only a sardonic, "Do tell."

amazing translation! best ive seen to date!

its ok

Gwyn Jones here gives us his very smooth and stylish translations of some of the lesser, and lesser known, sagas in the Icelandic literary opus. From the title piece, "Eirik the Red's Saga", to his rendering of the Hrolf Kraki saga, these are all nicely wrought translations of some of the smaller gems in the old Norse literary tradition. Among my favorites are "The Vapnfjordmen" and the "Tale of Spike Helgi". These brilliantly demonstrate, in spare saga style, the way in which the best of these old Norse works capture and crystallize real people through an archaic and slightly clouded lense. But the images shining through are starkly real and resonate with our modern sensibility in a way which is surprising for such medieval fare. Of course, the title piece and the Hrolf Kraki piece which end the book go to the other extreme: the realm of legend and fantasy. Modern scholars tend to believe that the "Greenlanders' Saga" is an older and more reliable tale concerning the Norse excursions to Vinland than is the "Eirik's Saga" (this book's title piece) though "Eirik's Saga" is richer, by far, in literary motifs and more rife with fantastic elements, while yet being more literary overall than the plainer, sparer "Geenlanders' Saga" (which Jones did not choose to include here). And few will dispute that Hrolf Kraki's tale, this book's end-piece, is mainly one of myth and legend, albeit an exciting and well-told tale in its own right. In sum, Jones selected the most literary of the smaller sagas for this work, sandwiching in between two more legendary pieces, some more solidly realistic tales. But all with sufficient literary merit to warrant inclusion here. A nicely done collection for the saga aficionado! The King of Vinland's Saga

I read this on a boat from Denmark to Iceland, via the Faroe Islands, on the very routes the vikings had sailed, and then driving through Iceland by car.Crossing Iceland, and its other-worldly landscapes, it was the perfect companion: the sagas came alive; the life the vikings lead, facing natural challenges, blood-feuds, love, and passions, for instance the saga of the Vapnfjord Men, from the eastern parts of Iceland.The sagas have both historical value, as the saga of Eirik the Red give an insight into how two new world's met (without even knowing it), but are also able to reflect on human lives, as the saga of Authun and the bear.Finally, there are the sagas of King Hrolf and his men, full of bloody battles, revenge and love-feuds, which are truly engaging.After reading this, I only feel like reading more sagas!

There are literally no explainary notes, no glossary, no appendix, no bibliography. Which makes this book a leisure reading and not academic at all. Very surprised by OUP.

A bit plodding, somehow not as exciting as promoted by the editor.

good translation...weird stories...fun...

Some of the Icelandic people tell you about the Icelandic Sagas and thought I would buy this as a present for my other half,. It didn't disappoint and will possibly buy some more stgories in the Sagas