Njal's Saga

The Icelandic sagas are medieval prose epics about the exploits of Iceland’s initial Viking settlers, and Njál’s Saga is a superior example of Iceland’s unique saga tradition. Telling the gripping story of astute official Njál and his kinship with the eminent warrior Gunnar, Njál’s Saga contains meticulous genealogical records, extensive descriptions of medieval Icelanders’ democratic legal proceedings, and stories of vicious family disputes that rage across several generations. Njál’s Saga, like the other Icelandic sagas, shows how civilization—no matter how tenuous and hostile—can emerge even in an environment that seems unsuitable for habitation.