Anonymous, Laxdæla saga

Þórdís Edda Jóhannesdóttir (University of Iceland)

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Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1245

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Prose Fiction Narrative

Resources

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Laxdæla saga is an Icelandic saga composed around the middle of the 13th century. Its earliest manifestation is manuscript fragments from c. 1300, but its most complete medieval manuscript is Möðruvallabók, AM 132 fol., a large vellum manuscript from the middle of the 14th century. Some manuscripts include the so-called Bolla þáttr, Bolli’s tale, a short sequel to the saga, traditionally printed separately following the saga in editions of Laxdæla saga. The saga spans around 150 years (from c. 880 to c. 1030) and takes place mainly in the west of Iceland, around Breiðafjörður and in the Dales, but occasionally the point of view shifts to Norway and the British Isles.

The saga has a reputation of appealing to women and some have even suggested it might have been written by a

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1983 words

Citation: Jóhannesdóttir, Þórdís Edda. "Laxdæla saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 October 2022 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40781, accessed 01 April 2025.]