The conflict of law and justice in the Icelandic sagas / / William Pencak.

• Superior document: Value Inquiry Book Series ; 21
• VerfasserIn: Pencak, William, 1951-2013,
• Place / Publishing House: Amsterdam, Netherlands ;, Atlanta, Georgia : : Rodopi,, [1995]; ©1995
• Year of Publication: 1995
• Language: English
• Series: Value Inquiry Book Series ; 21.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (202 pages)

The world's longest lasting republic between ancient Rome and modern Switzerland, medieval Iceland (c. 870-1262) centered its national literature, the great family sagas, around the problem of can a republic survive and do justice to its inhabitants. The Conflict of Law and Justice in the Icelandic Sagas takes a semiotic approach to six of the major sagas which depict a nation of free men, abetted by formidable women, testing conflicting legal codes and principles - pagan v. Christian, vengeance v. compromise, monarchy v. republicanism, courts v. arbitration. The sagas emerge as a body of great literature embodying profound reflections on political and legal philosophy because they do not offer simple solutions, but demonstrate the tragic choices facing legal thinkers (Njal), warriors (Gunnar), outlaws (Grettir), women (Gudrun of Laxdaela Saga ), priests (Snorri of Eyrbyggja Saga ), and the Icelandic community in its quest for stability and a good society. Guest forewords by Robert Ginsberg and Roberta Kevelson, set the book in the contexts of philosophy, semiotics, and Icelandic studies to which it contributes.

Table of Contents

Map of Iceland -- List of Illustrations -- Editorial Foreword by Robert GINSBERG -- Guest Foreword by Roberta KEVELSON -- Author's Preface -- ONE Introduction: The Historical and Philosophical Context -- TWO The Hero and the Sage: Njal's Saga -- THREE The Great Outlaw: Grettir's Saga -- FOUR Exceptional Women: Laxdaela Saga -- FIVE The Poet: Egil's Saga -- SIX Common Folk and Chieftains: Bandamanna Saga and Ale-Hood -- SEVEN Community Problems: Eyrbyggja Saga -- EIGHT Epilogue: On the Best Form of Government and the Persistence of Republics -- Notes -- Notes on Translations and Spelling -- Chronologies -- Illustrations -- Bibliography -- About the Author -- Index of Principal Characters -- Index of Places, Subjects, and Non-Saga People.