By Susan Elizabeth Rivenbark
[Snip] There was a separate and unique code of honor and ethics for women living in Iceland during the Viking Age. What was female honor? Were Icelandic women expected to abide by a code of honor just like men? What were some main themes in this female code of honor? The aim of this thesis is to uncover the answers to these questions and present a new and informative contribution to the fields of medieval history, the history of Scandinavian women, and Icelandic literary history. The appropriate way to answer these questions and prove the hypothesis is to execute a proper form of methodology.
This thesis limits the subjects of study to women within The Saga of the People of Laxardal, Njal’s Saga, Grænlendinga Saga, Eirik’s Saga, and The Saga of the Volsungs. These Icelandic sagas in the English translations and in the original Old Norse and the laws of early Iceland Grágás I and Grágás II will be the major primary evidence in this research. Secondary sources derive from a range of Viking Age and medieval Scandinavian studies on women and Icelandic society.
Read the full article [NOTE: Opens as a pdf.]
(H/T Medievalists.net)
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