Egil's Saga - 9780140447705

Egil's Saga tells the story of the long and brutal life of the tenth-century warrior-poet and farmer Egil Skallagrimsson: a psychologically ambiguous character who was at once the composer of intricately beautiful poetry, and a physical grotesque capable of staggering brutality. This Icelandic saga recounts Egil's progression from youthful savagery to mature wisdom as he struggles to defend his honour in a running feud against the Norwegian King Erik Blood-axe, fights for the English King Athelstan in his battles against Scotland and embarks on colourful Viking raids across northern Europe. Exploring issues as diverse as loyalty, the power of poetry and the relationship between two brothers who love the same woman, Egil's Saga is a fascinating depiction of a deeply human character, and one of the true masterpieces of medieval literature.
This new translation by Bernard Scudder fully conveys the poetic style of the original. It also contains a new introduction, by Svanhildur Oskarsdottir, placing the saga in historical context, a detailed chronology, a chart of Egil's ancestors and family, maps and notes.