This document contains a full summary of the entirety of Grettir's Saga, as translated by Jesse Byock.
It also contains a link to a full family tree where you can click around and see the familiar relationships (parents, children, spouses) visualised.
Introduction
the saga
MANUSCRIPT
Grettir’s Saga was and remains very popular. There are many manuscripts that feature it, but the
major extant vellum manuscripts are from the late medieval period: AM551a 4to, AM556a 4to, AM
152 fol. (all located in the Árni Magnússon Manuscript Institute in Reykjavík) and DG 10 fol.
(Uppsala). They have been transcribed in various modern scholarly editions, this translation is based
on the 1994 text edited by Örnólfur Thorsson.
STRUCTURE
Grettir’s Saga was written at the start of the 14 th century.1 Grettir is a poet, killer and thief. The saga
can be divided into 3 parts: Grettir’s ancestry, the core central section, and the vengeance taken for
his death.
It starts in Norway in the mid 800s, offering a twist to the familiar story of a heroic opposition to the
tyrant, usurping King Harald. Rather than a heroic exodus to the newly discovered Iceland, the
account of Grettir’s ancestors has an air of tragedy.
The second, largest part of the saga concerns Grettir, the longest-living Icelandic outlaw. He was
probably born around 996 and died in 1031. The saga covers his boyhood to his death. Grettir is
courageous, intelligent and renowned, but also imprudent, undisciplined, indolent, hot-tempered
and arrogant. As he grows older, he becomes more likeable. He is a strange character who stands up
against the privileges of social rank and the ability to form social loyal friendships, which makes him
independent.
The final part of the poem focuses on vengeance-seeking for Grettir, telling of Grettir’s half-brother’s
journeys. This part takes place in the 1100s and turns the preceding tragedy with at its core the
many (blood)feuds featured in the poem, into a humorous tale of cuckolding, convoluted deceit and
Christian contrition, redemption and charity.
OUTLAW
Grettir’s Saga is an outlaw saga, a small subgroup of family sagas. 2 These sagas tend towards
biography, exploring the psychology of the main character.
As an outlaw, Grettir lives as a liminal character on the boundaries of human society. This is
augmented by his inhuman strength, frequent encounters with monsters and by his constant
movement. Unlike the others in his society, Grettir does not (and, by virtue of being an outlaw, can
not) settle in one safe space to call home. Grettir holds grudges for a long time, but he does not
really plan out his revenge to ensure for the future. He does not accept wergild or payment, the
honourable option of customary law. The saga is about conceit and its costs.
MONSTERS
Grettir fights humans, berserkers, trolls, revenants and cave-bears. Whilst these encounters seem to
be successful – Grettir wins – they overall contribute to his bad luck. The saga calls Grettir’s journey
‘land-cleansing’.3 He does not fight fantastic beings, but threats drawn from anxieties and belief
systems of Iceland’s rural (pre-Christian) society.
1
Probably around 1310-20.
2
Also includes the Saga of Gisli and the Saga of Hord.
3
Grettir is kinda like a witcher.
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