Bandamanna saga

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The Bandamanna saga ( Saga of the Allies or Saga of the Allies ) is an Icelandic saga that was probably written in the middle of the 13th century. It is one of the shortest sagas.

The Bandamanna saga has been handed down in two versions (GkS 2845, 4to; AM 132, fol.). Written by an unknown hand, both versions go back to an original form.

In terms of content, which is also made clear by the title, the alliance of greedy gods is portrayed who team up to increase their profit with unfair means. In contrast to most of the Icelandic sagas, where the protagonists are always from the Icelandic "upper class", here it is the farmer with modest means who prevails against a whole group from this "upper class".

content

The setting is northern Iceland around the year 1055. Oddr Òfeigsson, who left his parents' farm as a young man after an argument with his father, a poor farmer, becomes a wealthy merchant and landowner through his ability. A conflict with his steward Óspakr has the consequence that Oddr's foster brother kills Váli. Oddr then brings an indictment against him on the Allthing and in the process makes a minor procedural error. Two gods, who are jealous of his ascent, use this for an objection and thus prevent Óspakr from being decreed. Oddr gets surprising help from his father Ofeig, who uses convincing words, supported by a bribe, to get Óspakr to be convicted or ostracized for killing Váli. The two Goden see this as an insult to their reputation and allied themselves with 6 other Goden in order to have Oddr convicted of bribery by the Allthing the following year. Apart from the fact that the "newcomer" Oddr is to be eliminated, the prospect of getting his fortune that they can use themselves is also tempting. Ofeig prevents his son from appearing on the Allthing himself and allows him to entrust him with the representation. Oddr's situation seems hopeless, but his father succeeds in playing the Goden off against each other by convincing two of them that it would be more advantageous for them to go together with his son, one with the prospect of a generous "sponsor", the other through an engagement of Oddr to his daughter. When he grants the two of them the right to render the verdict with the consent of the other, they pass a mild and incidentally ridiculous verdict.

Characters and image of society

In the saga there are a number of important main and secondary characters that are drawn quite differently. This applies e.g. B. for the dubious "Goden Octet" against which Oddr and Ofeig prevail. Egil z. B., who plays the active role in the verdict (it is his idea to annoy the bandamanna by demanding an extremely ridiculous sum of money, and he also denies the senna with them), is naive and honest. Obviously, he doesn't think it necessary to disguise his real motives for participating (he hopes for Oddr's fortune to reorganize himself). Gellir, on the other hand, who gives Egil "backing" against the other Goden, is more level-headed. He does not make it easy for Ofeig to get into conversation with him, makes sure that his reputation and his honor are not damaged by the matter, shows concerns about teaming up with Ofeig and Egil and betraying Bandamanna . During the conversations with Egil and Gellir, it is easy to see how skillfully Ofeig knows how to respond to the different characters and motivations of the two in order to win them over to Oddr's cause. The poor, but legally trained farmer Ofeig, whose appearance is certainly not reminiscent of Odin by chance (even if he is not one-eyed), is clearly superior to the "dubious" gentlemen from the upper class. The climber Oddr , who has made it from poor farmer's son to rich merchant and farmer due to his own ability and his nautical knowledge, has a positive attitude, even if he seems quite naive in some respects, and initially lacks life experience. Even the very aggressive and opaque Óspakr is more of a "gray" character than a clearly negative figure. When Oddr makes him his steward despite his bad reputation, he proves capable and efficient, and he is by no means solely to blame for the fact that both ultimately become enemies. When compared to other Icelandic sagas, it is striking that the main characters do not belong to the upper class and are clearly superior to them. (This can be seen very clearly in a comparison with the Ölkofra saga , where the eponymous Ölkofri as a poor trader (and member of the lower class) is a comical figure, in the Icelandic sagas. in which the actual hero from the upper class and from an important family proves himself exemplary.)

References to other sagas

In the Eyrbyggja saga , an ancestor of Óspakr Glúmsson who has threatened the farmers with raids is put down. This subplot may have inspired the writer of the Bandamann saga to create his Óspakr character. In the characteristic of Oddr Òfeigsson the Oddr þættir , who z. B. in the Morkinskinna (there in the Haralds saga hardráda ) is handed down to the author (s) have provided suggestions. The Ölkofra saga is clearly the source or model . The eponymous Bandamanna are all descendants of characters reported in other sagas, which results in a certain additional comedy. The Goden Egil and Hermundr, for example, are descendants of Egill Skallagrímsson .

Secondary literature

  • Bandamanna saga. In: Kindlers New Literature Lexicon . Study edition. Munich, 1988. Vol. 18, pp. 174f.
  • Claudia Müller, Narrated Knowledge. The Isländersagas in Möðruvallabók (AM 132 fol.) (= Texts and studies on German and Scandinavian studies, vol. 47; also Bonn, Univ.Diss., 1999), P. Lang, Frankfurt am Main, 2001.
  • Jónas Kristjánsson, Eddas and Sagas. Medieval literature of Iceland . Transferred from Magnús Pétursson and Astrid van Nahl, H. Buske, Hamburg, 1994, pp. 239f., 241f.
  • Kurt Schier, saga literature . Metzler Collection, Vol. 78 Reality books for Germanists . Metzler, Stuttgart 1970.
  • Rudolf Simek , Hermann Pálsson : Lexicon of Old Norse Literature (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 490). Kröner, Stuttgart 1987, ISBN 3-520-49001-3 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jónas Kristjánsson: Eddas and Sagas. Medieval literature of Iceland . Transferred from Magnús Pétursson and Astrid van Nahl, H. Buske, Hamburg, 1994, p. 239
  2. ↑ Kindler's New Literature Lexicon . Study edition. Munich, 1988. Vol. 18, p. 174; added after Jónas Kristjánsson: Eddas and Sagas. Medieval literature of Iceland . Transferred from Magnús Pétursson and Astrid van Nahl, H. Buske, Hamburg, 1994, p. 239f.
  3. ↑ On Óspakr, cf. also Jónas Kristjánsson: Eddas and Sagas. Medieval literature of Iceland . Transferred from Magnús Pétursson and Astrid van Nahl, H. Buske, Hamburg, 1994, p. 218.
  4. ↑ The best- known example is the negatively charged title hero of the Hœnsa-Þóris saga .
  5. ↑ Jónas Kristjánsson: Eddas and Sagas. Medieval literature of Iceland . Transferred from Magnús Pétursson and Astrid van Nahl, H. Buske, Hamburg, 1994, p. 240