THE HIES OPEN LIBRARY
SAGAS, HISTORICAL NARRATIVES & LEGENDARY TRADITIONS
The Saga Literature collection brings together Icelandic sagas, kings' sagas, legendary sagas, and historical source collections for the study of Old Norse narrative tradition.
These works provide important material for the study of kinship, law, honor, conflict, leadership, kingship, religious transition, heroic tradition, and cultural memory. Individual resource pages provide information about each work, its edition, its use at HIES, and access to the available online text.
Heimskringla
Snorri Sturluson • Samuel Laing, trans.
PRIMARY SOURCE
A collection of Old Norse kings' sagas preserving narratives concerning Norwegian rulers, kingship, political authority, warfare, religion, conversion, and Scandinavian society.
The Story of Burnt Njal
George Webbe Dasent, trans. • 1861
PRIMARY SOURCE
An English translation of Njáls saga, exploring Icelandic law, kinship, friendship, feud, honor, responsibility, reconciliation, religious transition, and the consequences of conflict.
The Story of the Volsungs
Eiríkr Magnússon & William Morris, trans. • 1888
PRIMARY SOURCE
An English translation of Völsunga saga, preserving heroic traditions concerning the Völsung family, Sigurd, kinship, loyalty, vengeance, supernatural encounters, and fate.
The Story of Grettir the Strong
Eiríkr Magnússon & William Morris, trans. • 1900
PRIMARY SOURCE
An English translation of Grettis saga, centered on Grettir Ásmundarson and themes of reputation, law, outlawry, courage, adversity, supernatural tradition, and social belonging.
Origines Islandicae
Guðbrandur Vigfússon & F. York Powell • 1905
SOURCE COLLECTION
A two-volume collection of sagas and other native writings concerning the settlement, early history, law, constitution, conversion, and cultural development of Iceland.
The Saga Literature collection will continue to develop as suitable public-domain translations, historical editions, source collections, and responsibly licensed resources are identified and reviewed for inclusion.
Resources are selected for their value in the study of Old Norse narrative traditions and the historical, social, legal, religious, and cultural worlds reflected within them. Inclusion in the Open Library does not mean that every resource is required reading within the Bachelor of Eddic Studies program.