Siðaskipti e riti pagani nelle saghe islandesi
This article deals with descriptions of heathen rites and beliefs often reported in Icelandic sagas against the backdrop of a prospective con-version to Christianity. The analysis shows that such narratives, despite their seemingly impartial narratorial stance, are deeply influenced by a Christian a...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Italian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Morcelliana
2012
|
| In: |
Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
Year: 2012, Volume: 78, Issue: 2, Pages: 377-404 |
| Further subjects: | B
Runes
B Paganism B Religion B Middle Ages B Saghe B History B Scandinavia B Iceland B religione B Conversion to Christianity B Islanda B Sagas B medioevo B Sagas; History & criticism |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
|
| Summary: | This article deals with descriptions of heathen rites and beliefs often reported in Icelandic sagas against the backdrop of a prospective con-version to Christianity. The analysis shows that such narratives, despite their seemingly impartial narratorial stance, are deeply influenced by a Christian approach, since their learned albeit anonymous author aims to make a comparison between a by-gone paganism and change related to the new faith. Thus, in the sagas, ritual offerings and human sacrifice in return for victory in battle, pagan formulas and magic for warding off draugar and the casting of spells are gradually replaced by the efficacy of Christian rites with holy relics and the sign of the Cross. Nevertheless, the reliability of sagas describing pagan rites and the worship of local deities or guardian spirits may be ascertained only through a comparison with other medieval sources and runic inscriptions. (English) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2611-8742 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
|