About the book
An essential resource for exploring the early literary genre of Icelandic saga narratives
Combining an accessible approach with innovative scholarship, An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders provides up-to-date perspectives on a unique medieval literary genre that has fascinated the English-speaking world for more than two centuries. Carl Phelpstead draws on historical context, contemporary theory, and close reading to deepen our understanding of Icelandic saga narratives about the island’s early history.
Phelpstead explores the origins and cultural setting of the genre, demonstrating the rich variety of oral and written source traditions that writers drew on to produce the sagas. He provides fresh, theoretically informed discussions of major themes such as national identity, gender and sexuality, and nature and the supernatural, relating the Old Norse-Icelandic texts to questions addressed by postcolonial studies, feminist and queer theory, and ecocriticism. He then presents readings of select individual sagas, pointing out how the genre’s various source traditions and thematic concerns interact.
Including an overview of the history of English translations that shows how they have been stimulated and shaped by ideas about identity, and featuring a glossary of critical terms, this book is an essential resource for students of the literary form.
Editions of An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders
- PDF
- ISBN 9780813057743
Read an Excerpt
An essential resource for exploring the early literary genre of Icelandic saga narratives
Combining an accessible approach with innovative scholarship, An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders provides up-to-date perspectives on a unique medieval literary genre that has fascinated the English-speaking world for more than two centuries. Carl Phelpstead draws on historical context, contemporary theory, and close reading to deepen our understanding of Icelandic saga narratives about the island’s early history.
Phelpstead explores the origins and cultural setting of the genre, demonstrating the rich variety of oral and written source traditions that writers drew on to produce the sagas. He provides fresh, theoretically informed discussions of major themes such as national identity, gender and sexuality, and nature and the supernatural, relating the Old Norse-Icelandic texts to questions addressed by postcolonial studies, feminist and queer theory, and ecocriticism. He then presents readings of select individual sagas, pointing out how the genre’s various source traditions and thematic concerns interact.
Including an overview of the history of English translations that shows how they have been stimulated and shaped by ideas about identity, and featuring a glossary of critical terms, this book is an essential resource for students of the literary form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders about?
An essential resource for exploring the early literary genre of Icelandic saga narratives
Combining an accessible approach with innovative scholarship, An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders provides up-to-date perspectives on a unique medieval literary genre that has fascinated the English-speaking world for more than two centuries. Carl Phelpstead draws on historical context, contemporary theory, and close reading to deepen our understanding of Icelandic saga narratives about the island’s early history.
Phelpstead explores the origins and cultural setting of the genre, demonstrating the rich variety of oral and written source traditions that writers drew on to produce the sagas. He provides fresh, theoretically informed discussions of major themes such as national identity, gender and sexuality, and nature and the supernatural, relating the Old Norse-Icelandic texts to questions addressed by postcolonial studies, feminist and queer theory, and ecocriticism. He then presents readings of select individual sagas, pointing out how the genre’s various source traditions and thematic concerns interact.
Including an overview of the history of English translations that shows how they have been stimulated and shaped by ideas about identity, and featuring a glossary of critical terms, this book is an essential resource for students of the literary form.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism
Where can I read a sample of An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780813057743
Is An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and Traditions
Who is/are the Author/s of the book An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders?
Carl Phelpstead
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders is available as pdf(ISBN 9780813057743)
Where can I buy An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders?