The Second Quarter Court

From 2015-2017 we covered a grand total of 10 sagas.  You listened.  You laughed.  You cried.  And when each saga was finished, you heard John and Andy pass judgment on the characters and their actions.  Now it’s your turn to be heard.

As always, the Quarter Court reviews the winners from the past 10 judgment episodes.  The polls will be open until September 30th.  At that time, John and I will close them down and review the results in the judgment section of the Second Quarter Court.

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Remember to send your questions for that special judgment episode.  You can reach us via email at sagathingpodcast@gmail.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

And now the voting!

Remember, voting closes on September 30th. Get in while you can.

Music Credits:
Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Outro Music – “Stormfront” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 20l – Njal’s Saga (Judgments)

At long last, it is time to put Njal’s Saga on trial.   You’ve listened to the saga summary for nearly a year.  Now, find out who will take home the prestigious Best Bloodshed and Notable Witticism trophies. Discover exactly how many bodies hit the floor (give or take a few).  Learn interesting facts you never knew you needed to know, like who among the many candidates for Nicknames turns out to be related to Hamlet of Denmark.  Review the crimes of the saga’s villains and consider along with the hosts who most deserves a sentence of outlawry. If you could only take one man or woman from the saga as your thingman, who would you choose and why?  Listen as John and Andy debate the question and finally select a new ally to join their formidable bands of thingmen. Is this, as many scholars agree, the very best of the Sagas of the Icelanders? Only John and Andy can decide.  Join us now for the epic judgments of Njal’s Saga!

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Episode 20F – Njal’s Saga (Part 6)

In this episode, we travel to foreign lands with Thrain Sigfusson and two of the Njalssons.  Thrain will find things easy going, but the prophecy of hard times for the Njalssons proves true. We’ll also introduce you to two new players in the saga, the heroic Kari Salmundarson and the villainous Killer-Hrapp.  This episode of Saga Thing is full of adventure, intrigue, and digressions. Join John and Andy as they discuss the politics of medieval Orkney, minor deities of the Norse pantheon, and the wonders of the Icelandic landscape.  There’s something here for everyone!

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 Music Credits:

Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Previous Episode Review – “Begin the Beguine” by Artie Shaw

Episode Summary – “Clash Defiant” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Outro Music – “Stormfront” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 20d – Njal’s Saga (Part 4)

Gunnar has been told that he will live to be an old man if he can avoid killing two men from the same bloodline and if he never breaks a settlement.  Achieving this is easier said than done, especially since Gunnar’s personal body count increases every time a challenger appears.  In this episode, Gunnar’s patience will be tested as Morð Valgardsson, Thorgeir Starkaðarson, and Thorgeir Otkelsson plot to finish off their rival once and for all.  But will they have what it takes to bring down Iceland’s champion?  Will Njal be able to rescue his friend once again?  And will Hallgerð forgive Gunnar for the slap, or will she once again seek vengeance?  Find out in part 4 of Njal’s Saga!

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If you’re interested in contributing to our bibliography, please contact us at sagathingpodcast@gmail.com.

If you are interested in writing about women in Njal’s Saga or any other saga for the Medieval Congress at Western Michigan University, submit an abstract and paper proposal form for our panel “The Second Sex: Women and Power in Old Norse-Icelandic Literature.”  Again, please use our email: sagathingpodcast@gmail.com

Purchase your own copy of Njal’s Saga

Music Credits
Intro Music
Prelude and Action by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Previous Episode Review
Bert Firman – Hangin’ Around

Episode Summary
Adrian von Ziegler – Ótroðinn

Outro Music
Stormfront by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 20c – Njal’s Saga (Part 3)

In the third part of Njal’s Saga, we find Gunnar suffering an identity crisis after being pulled into a series of feuds.  As Njal tells him, this is the beginning of Gunnar’s career in killing.  In addition to a lot of fighting, this episode also features a discussion of saga-age masculinity, cheese theft, horse fighting, and famine survival.  Yes, that’s right.  I said cheese theft.  Listen and learn, people.  Listen and learn.

Click here if you’re interested in any of the bibliography we mention. Get in touch with us if you’d like to get involved in the bibliography and resource building for this or any other saga.

Download this episode (right click and save)

 

Purchase your own copy of Njal’s Saga.

If you’re an academic type who wants to write about women in the sagas for our panel “The Second Sex: Women and Power in Old Norse-Icelandic Literature” at the Medieval Congress at Western Michigan University, submit an abstract and paper proposal form to sagathingpodcast@gmail.com

Music Credits

Intro Music

Prelude and Action by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Previous Episode Review

Duke Ellington Orchestra – “Jubilee Stomp”

Episode Summary

Wardruna – Solringen

Outro Music

Stormfront by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 20b – Njal’s Saga (Part 2)

In this episode, we introduce Gunnar Hamundarson and his wise friend Njal Thorgeirsson.  We’ll follow Gunnar on a few adventures before he settles down with the lovely, but dangerous Hallgerd Hoskuldsdottir.  If you thought Hallgerd was harsh in Part 1 of our summer saga, just wait until you see what she’s up to this time around.  Will the friendship of Njal and Gunnar survive the escalating violence spurred on by their wives, or will they be consumed by it and destroyed?  There’s only one way to find out.

Download this episode (right click and save)

For anyone who’s interested, we’ve put together a select bibliography for Njal’s Saga.  We have mentioned a few of these, but there’s plenty more here for your perusal. Obviously, you’ll need a good library to access most of these.

Join the fun with your own copy of Njal’s Saga!

Music Credits:

Intro Music
Prelude and Action by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Previous Episode Review
Iron Horse by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode Summary
Voces Thules – Varizk ér Ok Varizk ér

Outro Music
Stormfront by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/