Sagas and Medieval Literature

Has anyone here read any Sagas or other medieval literature? I have read some recently. They are interesting and contain some surprises.

I've studied medieval literature, and have a passing familiarity with the Norse/Icelandic Sagas. Which ones have you read?

I have read a couple of collections of Sagas, but I don't remember all of their names. Völsungsaga, Ragnar's Saga, Örvar-Oddr, Laxdæla saga, Egil's Saga and a few more. Right now I am reading Heimskringla.

I’ve got a good amount of West African epic sagas in my collection. Sundiata, Gassire, Ozidi, Malik Sy, etc.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Feb 29th 2024 at 2:45:28 AM

Oh, that's interesting. Do West African Sagas tend to be from a specific time period?

I'm quite fond of Njal's Saga, as it was the first Icelandic saga I was introduced to, during literary studies in school. Overall I enjoy sagas of the Icelanders, for being an interesting mash-up of Spaghetti Western with violence and humour similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1980's films, while set mostly in the Viking Age. There are so many tropes from stories about colonizing the Old West, shown through a laconic and slightly cynical lens like Sergio Leone's films, while people make hilarious quips right before they die or get grievously injured. It conjures up in my mind an excellent Western film, except people use bladed weapons and arrows instead of guns.

Edited by Mara999 on Apr 13th 2024 at 10:26:11 PM

Depends on where you get them from.

Gassire's Lute is, apparently, from Wagadou, which was first millennium AD, and if so it's one of the only surviving bits of culture from that empire.

But most of the ones you find are from the Mali Empire and, later on, Senegal, and range from 13th century to early 20th century.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Apr 21st 2024 at 3:00:33 AM