Reading Response #2: Icelandic Tales

The six tales we read for this assignment all seemed very unique and yet there was an underlying thread that connected them all. They were all similar in the style of writing in which each person was referenced by listing his or her notorious kinsmen and the way they were written very simply yet still employed clever twists and irony. There was also a cohesiveness in the way each tale tended to describe the Icelandic characters as stubborn, rather rowdy people.
The stories themselves were interesting because they showed how big a role honor, respect, and family played in the lives of these people. In the Tale of Thorstein Staff-struck, it is evident what a large role family honor and pride played and introduced the concept of compensation for losses as a form of restoring such honor if lost. To me this idea of receiving monetary or material compensation for the loss or dishonoring of a family member was slightly bizzare because it seemed such a callous way of dealing with the situation. However, put into the context of that time period and culture, it is understandable for all practical purposes.
While these tales helped to shed light upon a softer more personal side of these people, they also helped affirm the stereotype of their violent and harsh nature to some degree.