Saga Thing

Now that you're an expert in medieval Icelandic history, you're probably wondering about Icelandic literary expression.  And why wouldn't you?  In this episode, John and Andy answer the question they probably ought to have covered right away . . . what is a saga, exactly?  Strap yourself in for a whirlwind introduction to the genre of saga literature.  Expect to hear an overview of the different kinds of sagas medieval Icelanders produced.  Along the way, you'll find out the difference between a family saga and a lying saga, discover the wonders of bookprose and freeprose theory, and learn a little something about a guy named Njal.  All in all, it's good clean fun for the whole family.

In this second part of our first episode, we explore the socio-political structure of Commonwealth Iceland, its conversion to Christianity, and the end of the Commonwealth era. How does a man kill his enemy politely? Why was Iceland's religious future decided under a blanket fort? Who killed Snorri Sturluson in the basement with the knife? And what happens when John lets his sheep loose on Andy's lawn? Find out here!

Welcome to the first episode of Saga Thing!  After John and I recorded the Hrafnkel's saga episode, we decided it would be beneficial for both us and our listeners to cover some basic "backgroundy stuff" before going any further.  It was meant to be a quick 45 minute episode.  The result is three "mini-episodes" of varying lengths.   In this, our first installment of episode 1, we introduce the podcast and address the discovery of Iceland, the Settlement Age, and some interesting tidbits about life in early medieval Iceland.  We hope you enjoy!