"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." A functional analysis of fate in Fornaldarsögur

It has been long accepted that the Old Icelandic literature is full of a strong feeling of fatalism. Fate is commonly regarded as something predetermined that the characters have no other choice than to embrace. However, this vision leaves little space to the free will of actions that makes a great hero. This thesis aims to challenge this vision of fate by offering a different one in which the destiny is more closely related to the actions of the characters. This thesis aims to demonstrate that fate in the Fornaldarsögur may as well be a literary device used by the authors to express Christian ideas and moral values in a pagan time. Another aim of this thesis is therefore to challenge the idea of fate in the sagas as only representative of a Pre-Christian belief. Fate has mainly been studied in relationship to this religious aspect, especially in the Fornaldarsögur. Here fate will be considered through a functional approach, in order to question the meanings and purposes given to fate in the narratives. The analysis proposed in this thesis includes three sagas, Völsunga saga, Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks and Örvar-Odds saga. These sagas present various relationships of the characters to their fate. Some main results are that fate is related to the concept of law and justice, which contrasts with the common idea of a blind fate deciding everything beforehand regardless of the hero’s characteristics and actions. Fate can be seen as a judgement or punition. The reaction to fate and the many forewarnings invites us to rethink the idea of free will in those sagas, in contrast to a binding fate. It is proposed to see fate as a frame to the narrative, guiding the hero—even possibly asking him—to take himself decisions concerning his actions in order to assume or avoid this fate. In addition, fate is used to give an image of ideal and counter examples of how to behave. Even in a legendary context, fate has a didactic aspect, which refers more to the 13th century mentalities than to pagan time, for the influence of Christianity is present, implicitly or explicitly. More than an abstract concept, fate is a narrative tool used by the authors to give moral instructions about consequences of actions and behavior.

Author dc:creator

• Oriane Garault 1993-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskóli Íslands

• Víkinga- og miðaldafræði
• Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda
• Forlagatrú
• Völsunga saga
• Örvar-Odds saga
• Hervarar saga og Heiðreks

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/32595

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/32595