Grettir's Saga , one of the family sagas of early Iceland, was most likely written sometime between 1310 and 1320, and describes events that took place from the mid ninth century to the mid eleventh century. The saga is preserved in numerous manuscripts (indicating that it was a popular text); the most important are four late medieval vellum manuscripts (three of which are currently in Reykjavík; the other is in Uppsala). Grettir's Saga addresses a variety of intriguing themes, including kinship, the supernatural, feud, luck, and berserkers. There are also some parallels to the story of Beowulf, which the introduction attributes to both stories "draw[ing] on ancient northern European traditions about champions who free the countryside from aggressive otherworldly creatures harming society" (xxiii). There are also about seventy verses in the saga, mostly attributed to Grettir, whose subject matter ranges from trolls to battles to Grettir's sexual prowess. Finally, the saga provides a wealth of information about aspects of early Icelandic culture, including the importance of beached whales and then-current styles of clothing and housing. For all these reasons, Grettir's Saga is an important text, and this new translation is therefore welcome. (This is not the first English translation of Grettir's Saga ; one by Denton Fox and Hermann Pálsson was published in 1974, for instance.) The translation reviewed here is a collaborative effort: Jesse Byock prepared the translation and notes, while Russell Poole translated the skaldic verses and Davide Zori and Byock co-authored the introduction.
The saga can be divided into three parts: the first part (chapters 1-13) serves as a prelude to the story of Grettir, as it deals with his ancestors and some of their exploits. The main character here is Grettir's great-grandfather Onund Tree-Foot (so-called because he had a wooden leg), and the section concentrates on his battles and eventual move to Iceland during the settlement period. Onund is unable to migrate to Iceland until he has resolved some issues with King Harald of Norway, and therefore much of the good land is taken by the time he does make it to Iceland, thus leaving the family significantly poorer than they had been. This section of the text also describes the lives of Grettir's father Asmund and his grandfather Thorgrim.
The second and by far the longest part of the saga (chapters 14-84) covers Grettir's life and death. Grettir is, among other things, an outlaw, a brawler, a bawd, a gifted poet, a battler of supernatural beings, unlucky, and afraid of the dark. Sentenced as a lesser outlaw (which involved a three year period of exile and the confiscation of one's property) after killing a man as a teenager, Grettir went to Norway, and then returned to Iceland after his period of exile. Unfortunately, his life remained unsettled; after a year of living as a free man in Iceland, he went back to Norway, where he accidentally burned to death the two sons of Thorir of Gard (Grettir had been with a group of men who were trapped without fire in the winter, and swam across a channel to a house where they had seen a fire burning, but he was unfortunately mistaken for a monster by the inhabitants of the house, and in the ensuing confusion the house burned down, killing Thorir's sons). Thorir had Grettir declared a full outlaw, which meant that Grettir would have to remain in Iceland, but was not to be aided by anyone. Grettir was eventually killed by Thorbjorn Hook (after being severely injured while trying to cut up a cursed log for firewood). It had been ruled at the Althing (the national assembly) that anyone who survived as an outlaw for twenty years would win their freedom. Depending on how one counts the transitional year Grettir had spent in Iceland between returning from his time as a lesser outlaw and becoming a full outlaw, he was killed in either his nineteenth or twentieth year as an outlaw. It is indisputable, however, that he survived for fifteen years as a full outlaw in Iceland, wandering from place to place, battling ghosts and other supernatural creatures, and performing amazing feats of strength. Grettir is described by the translator as "Iceland's most famous and beloved outcast hero" (vii), and he remains one of the most intriguing characters in all of early Germanic literature.
The final section of the saga (chapters 85-93) focuses on Grettir's half-brother, Thorstein the Galleon (so called because he was a large, slow-moving man), his efforts to gain vengeance for Grettir's death, and his subsequent doings. Thorstein follows Thorbjorn Hook to Constantinople. Both Thorstein and Thorbjorn Hook join the Varangian Guard, and Thorstein kills Thorbjorn Hook shortly thereafter. The final few chapters concentrate on the relationship between Thorstein and a noblewoman named Spes. Unlike Grettir, however, Thorstein was a lucky man, and his life therefore ended considerably more auspiciously than Grettir's. (This is stated explicitly in the last two chapters of the saga.)
The translator's aim was "to provide a readable translation that accurately captures the nuances and style of the original" (xxvi), and this goal has been met. The translation of the prose sections generally reads quite smoothly. Consider, for example, the following two excerpts, which will serve as a snapshot of the text:
UNSPECIFIEDGrettir went up onto Arnarvatn Heath. He built himself a hut, and its remains can still be seen. There he settled in, and since he was now determined to do anything to avoid robbing, he got himself nets and a boat and fished for his food. Life seemed to him dreadful in the mountains, because he was so scared of the dark. When other outlaws learned that Grettir had settled there many were keen to join him, thinking he would protect them. [ch. 55, titled "The Outlaw Grim" in this translation].
UNSPECIFIEDThen Grettir went up to the mainland and collected what he thought was needed. Wherever he went he hid his identity, and no one knew he was ashore. Then he learned about the Thing meeting and how much people were enjoying themselves. Grettir became curious, and he too wanted to go to the Thing. He got hold of some old clothes, really poor rags, and this way he arrived at the Thing just as men were returning to their booths from the legislative council. [Ch. 72, titled "Grettir in Disguise" in this translation.]
The skaldic verses are equally well-translated. They suggest "the metrical characteristics of the original without being strictly bound to them" (xxvii), and kennings are sometimes imitated, sometimes not. This is a wise decision, since good Old Norse verse is not necessarily good Modern English verse. The following verse, recited by Grettir in tribute to a friend of his named Hallmund, who provided Grettir with shelter one summer, gives an idea of the translation of the other verses in the saga:
UNSPECIFIEDSwords with an adder's bite glided on wounding paths through flesh and bone, as fighting raged at Hrutafjord. Now those thugs are hosting wakes for the dead killed at Kelduhverfi. Hallmund climbed from his cave to aid me in my escape. [Verse 47, in chapter 57, titled "Thorir Ambushes Grettir" in this translation]
The apparatus is also valuable. The introductory essay nicely contextualizes the saga and provides useful overviews of a number of relevant issues (berserkers, the supernatural, etc). The accompanying notes help clarify various difficult passages and give quick explanations of important points. There are also two glossaries (one for names of people, groups, animals, and objects; and one for place names), and several maps and illustrations, all of which enhance the usefulness of the book. The volume itself is paperbound and cleanly edited.
In sum, this book is a welcome addition to the body of English translations of Old Norse literature. It will be of use to students and experienced scholars alike.