Njбla – The Saga of Burnt Njal

1
Njála The Saga of Burnt Njal

• Njala was composed around 1280, dealing with
  events from 930 1020 AD.
• It is the longest, the most sophisticated, and
  perhaps the finest example of saga art
  considered by some to be the national epic of
  Iceland.
• Over 600 characters, from the sublime and tragic,
  to the sinister or simply comic.
• Author is unknown, but most evidence points to a
  single composer who united several oral and
  written sources to compose his own work of art.

2
Njála Basic Information

• Njála can be divided into roughly three sections
• Gunnars exploits and death
• Njals family and his death
• Karis vengeance and reconciliation
• The saga juxtaposes a heroic, Viking age
  mentality with a modern, Christian ethos. Some of
  the themes in the saga include
• Honor Law Luck Vengeance
• Fate or Destiny Nobility of Character
• Christian Charity Reconciliation Pride

3
Njála History

• Critics are divided as whether to treat Njála as
  a work of history or a work of literature.
  Obviously it contains elements of both, but
  generally one can say that the author uses
  historical events to explore aspects of human
  nature.
• Some critics see Njála as a form of Historical
  Novel, as a work dealing indirectly with the
  concerns of the age in which it was created, the
  turbulent period when the Icelandic Republic
  collapsed (1262).

4
Njála History

• How did the saga come to be composed?
• 250-300 year gap between the events of the saga
  and its composition. Oral history.
• Many events are taken from later written sources,
  such as the conversion of Iceland, the legal
  debates, the battle of Clontarf in Ireland.
• The Free Prose Theory oral stories simply
  written down according to rules of oral
  narration.
• The Book Prose Theory a writer/editor
  collects oral tales and rearranges/adapts them
  for a written text that mirrors rules of oral
  narration.

5
Timeline of Icelandic History
6
Njála Style and Form

• Njála has been called the finest example of art
  without art, and the despair of translators, a
  masterpiece of story telling, smooth and plain.
• A narrator exists, but conceals himself behind
  the apparently objective portrayal of characters.
• The narrator presents no interior descriptions,
  explains no motivation, and provides no
  commentary (except that of everyone or most
  people).
• Characters are what they say and what they
  domost scenes contain important bits of dialogue!

7
Njála Genre

• Of the four great Icelandic family sagas (Egils
  saga, Eyrbyggja Saga, Laxdæla saga), Njála is the
  longest and most complicated.
• Njála contains many different genres
• Saga of constitutional history and saga of law
• Saga of the conversion of Iceland
• Saga of family feud and violent lawlessness
• Saga of heroic adventure
• Saga of Christian reconciliation
• Saga of pagan wisdom, fate and fatality

8
Njála Verisimilitude

• Njála, like all Icelandic family sagas, purports
  to represent real local history.
• People are given real names and real family
  ancestries, which link them to real places.
• Njals farm at Bergthorsknoll still exists,
  evidence of a burning there from the proper time.
• Factual evidence provides the saga with a
  certain legitimacy proof for the reader
  though it is impossible to determine how much is
  really true.
• Sagas a form of serious entertainment.

9
Njála Foreshadowing

• In Njála, as in most sagas, the authors are
  dealing with tales well-known to their audiences.
• Suspense what will happen next? did not exist
  in a modern sense.
• Elements of foreshadowing dreams, omens,
  portents, etc. exist to remind the audience of
  what is to come, and they provide the saga with
  coherence, uniting earlier and later episodes.
• The attention of the audience is focused on how
  and why things happen, not on twists of the plot.

10
Njála Plot Elements

• According to scholar T.M. Anderson, there are 6
  key elements to the narrative of family sagas
• Introduction
• Conflict
• Climax
• Revenge (repeat as necessary)
• Reconciliation
• Aftermath

11
Njála 1.

• The saga begins with Mord Gigja (Fiddle), a
  powerful chieftain (goði), who lived at Rangriver
  Plains (Rangarvellir), in southern Iceland.
• Mord has a beautiful daughter called Unn (3).
• At Breidafjord, near Laxardal in West Iceland,
  lives Hoskuld Dala-Kollsson, who has a
  half-brother Hrut (3).
• Hrut sees his niece Hallgerd, who is a beautiful
  young girl at the time (3) the long silken hair
  will show up again at an important juncture in
  the saga.

12
The World of the Icelandic Sagas
13
Map of Iceland
14
Njála 1-2.

• Hrut makes an ominous comment about Hallgerd when
  he sees her (4)
• The child is quite beautiful, and many will pay
  for that but what I dont know is how the eyes
  of a thief have come into our family.
• Hoskuld and Hrut ride to the Althing, the
  national Assembly in Iceland, held at Thingvellir
  for two weeks in late June.
• Hoskuld suggests that Hrut marry Unn, though he
  is unsure whether we are meant to be happy
  together (4).

15
Njála 2.

• Hoskuld and Mord bargain over the proposed
  marriage between Hrut and Unn. They eventually
  settle on terms to ensure that Unn will live well
  and that she will keep her wealth (5).
• The call witnesses to seal the bargain, the
  wedding to take place that summer.
• Hrut soon learns, however, that his brother
  Eyvind has died, and that he must go to Norway to
  claim his inheritance.
• Hrut meets with Mord, and they agree to postpone
  the wedding 3 years.

16
Njála 3.

• Harald Grey-Cloak is King of Norway (961-970 AD),
  and rules with his mother, Queen Gunnhild cf.
  Egils saga (6).
• Gunnhild promises Hrut her aid in recovering his
  money, and Ozur tells him it would be wise to
  accept her generosity (7).
• Hrut meets the king, asks to become a retainer
  Gunnhild supports his request.
• That evening, Queen Gunnhild makes Hrut a
  proposition he cannot refuse(cite 9)
• Hrut takes a place of honor spends the winter.

17
Njála 4-5.

• A man named Soti has stolen Hruts inheritance
  Gunnhild gives Hrut two ships and Ulf the
  Unwashed, and the king gives him another 2 ships
  to catch Soti.
• Hrut sails into the pirate Atli Arnvidarson, and
  they fight a Viking sea battle (cite 11).
• Hrut kills Atli, but Ulf the Unwashed dies.
• Hrut takes great booty and some of Atlis ships.
• Meanwhile, Soti is found, arrested and hanged.
• Hrut collects his inheritance, gives Queen
  Gunnhild half.

18
Njála 6-7.

• Hrut wants to leave Norway, lies to Gunnhild
  about the reason (12).
• She is upset and curses him for lying (cite 13).
• Hrut returns to Iceland and marries Unn.
• Their marriage remains unconsummated, and
  eventually Unn determines to divorce Hrut.
• Unn visits her father at the Althing, tells him
  the reason for her marital unhappiness (cite
  15f.).
• Mord tells Unn the proper legal procedure for
  executing a divorce (cite 16).

19
Njála 8.

• At the Althing, Mord puts forward a claim for the
  return of his daughter Unns dowry (and Hruts
  contribution to the marriage agreement!).
• Hrut refuses to pay and challenges Mord to a duel
  Holmganga, or island-going which in the early
  years of the Icelandic Republic was an accepted
  means of deciding legal disputes.
• Old Mord is afraid to fight the tough Hrut, so he
  lets his claim fall, earning nothing but
  ridicule.
• Hrut keeps the money of Unns dowry.
• Who was right and who was wrong?

20
The Legal Courts of the Althing in
Republican Iceland
21
Njála 9-10.

• Hallgerd grows up to be a beautiful, but willful
  and impetuous woman (cite 18).
• Hallgerd has been raised by her foster-father,
  Thjostolf, an insanely jealous and violent man.
• Fostering anothers child was a way to cement
  bonds between families the subordinate man
  usually did the fostering the father kept final
  authority over the child.
• Hoskuld, Hallgerds father, decides to marry her
  to young Thorvald, without informing her.
• Hallgerd thinks the man beneath her, but agrees.

22
Njála 10-11.

• Thjostolf comforts Hallgerd, saying that he will
  help her to take care of this first marriage
  (20).
• The wedding is large and happy, though Hrut
  senses that it will have no luck.
• At the wedding, we are introduced to Svan, an
  evil magician related to Hallgerd.
• Hallgerd is wasteful, but blames her new husband
  in fury, he strikes her in the face (21).
• Thjostolf fins Thorvald, insults him and then
  plants his axe in husband 1s skull (cite 22).
• The insult provided an excuse to begin the fight.

23
Njála 12.

• When Hallgerd sees his bloody axe, Thjostolf
  tells her that he has arranged it so that she can
  get a better marriage.
• Hallgerd sends him to hide with evil Svan in the
  hills Svan is impressed by the murder (23).
• Osvif gathers his friends and family to seek
  vengeance against Thjostolf.
• Svan uses magic to send fetches (fylgja) and fog
  against the party, and they turn back (cite 24)
• Osvif goes to Hoskuld and asks for compensation
  Hrut advises him to pay up and sets price (25).

24
Duty of Revenge and Right of Inheritance
25
Njála 13-15.

• Glum Olafsson now wants to marry Hallgerd his
  brother warns him, but he persists (27).
• Hoskuld tells Glum about all her assets and
  defects, and they discuss the matter with
  Hallgerd, who is not averse to the marriage.
• The marriage starts out well and happy, and a
  daughter Thorgerd is born (29).
• Thjostolf, meanwhile, wore out his welcome at
  Hoskulds house and went to visit Hallgerd.
• Hallgerd talks Glum into letting Thjostolf stay
  with them at their farm.

26
Njála 16-17.

• Nasty Thjostolf refuses to work, and when
  Hallgerd takes his side, Glum quarrels with her
  and slaps her (31).
• She is upset, but loves Glum deeply and forbids
  Thjostolf from doing anything.
• Thjostolf waits for a moment alone, then axes
  beloved Glum, husband 2 (cite 32).
• When Hallgerd sees the bloody axe, she guesses
  the truth and laughs!
• Thjostolf runs away to Hrut for protection
  Glums family is very powerful!

27
Njála 17-18.

• Hrut does not care for Thjostolfs madness, and
  kills him straight away (33).
• Brother Thorarin comes to ask for compensation
  for Glum his claim is weak because Hrut has
  already killed Thjostolf but he is given gifts
  by Hoskuld and Hrut (34).
• These gifts are a sign of great generosity of
  spirit.
• Petite Unn, meanwhile, has squandered her wealth.
  Her father is dead and so she turns to
  assistance to another relative Gunnar.

28
Njála 19-21.

• Gunnar Hamundarson of Hlidarendi a farmer and an
  ideal hero (cite 34f.).
• Njal Thorgeirsson of Bergthorshvol, wealthy and
  wise, and extremely skilled at law, but could not
  grow a beard (cite 35f.).
• Njal had a wife, Bergthora, who was courageous,
  but more than a little harsh-natured.
• Impoverished Unn comes to Gunnar for aid she
  wants his assistance to recover her dowry from
  Hrut (36).
• Gunnar goes to his friend Njal for advice.

29
Njála 22-24.

• Njal gives Gunnar very precise directions for a
  legal assault against Hrut basically a trick to
  get Hrut to recite the summons to revive the case
  legally (37f.).
• Gunnar carries out Njals instructions.
• Hoskuld has a dream of a huge bear Gunnars
  fetch (40), and he suspects something is afoot.
• Hoskuld and Hrut realize that it must have been
  Gunnar acting on the advice of his friend Njal.
• Gunnar presents the case at the Althing, but
  instead challenges Hrut to a duel (42).

30
Njála 24-25.

• Hrut has no chance against Gunnar, so he gives in
  and pays up, seething with anger.
• Hrut and Hoskuld foresee only bad luck and
  trouble for Gunnar and his ill-gotten money (42).
• Gunnar gives Unn her dowry back.
• Unn then married Valgard and had a son, Mord, who
  was malicious and cunning (43).
• Njals three sons are
• Skarp-Hedin extremely strong, scathing, and
  ugly
• Grim strong and handsome
• Helgi strong, handsome and even-tempered

31
Njála 26-30.

• Njal marries his son Helgi to Thorhalla and takes
  her brother Thorhall as a foster son, teaches him
  law.
• Gunnar and his brother Kolskegg travel abroad,
  leaving their farms Njals hands.
• Gunnar travels to Norway at the time of Earl
  Hakon Sigurdarson (970-995), raids in Baltic.
• They soon meet other pirates and engage in a
  Viking sea battle (48).
• Gunnar attacks other Vikings in a second battle
  (49f.), and is again victorious.

32
Njála 31-32.

• Travel abroad was necessary to prove the worth of
  a hero. The author of Njála probably was not well
  acquainted with the rest of Scandinavia.
• Foreign countries have an exotic, legendary feel
  in this saga magical lands of larger-than-life
  adventures. Gunnars adventures in the Baltic
  establish his reputation as a great warrior.
• Gunnar travels to Denmark and meets King Harald
  Gormsson. Exchange of gifts (50).
• Gunnar travels to Norway and meets Earl Hakon,
  who also gives him gifts.

33
Njála 32-33.

• Gunnar returns home to Iceland a famous man but
  Njal warns him that many people will be jealous
  of his good fortune (52).
• Gunnar will now be tested again. He wants to get
  along well with everyone, but he will have to
  defend himself.
• Gunnar goes to the Althing against the advice of
  Njal. He makes a very strong impression.
• Gunnar meets Hallgerd, who speaks to him boldly,
  and they fall instantly in love (53). He thinks
  about marriage at once.

34
Njála 33-34.

• Gunnar makes his way to his old adversaries Hrut
  and Hoskuld and inquires about Hallgerds hand in
  marriage.
• Hrut is not averse to the match, but wants to be
  entirely honest about Hallgerd so that he
  does not get Gunnar as his enemy later (54).
• Njal is displeased when he hears about the plan
  prophesy that she will cause trouble (54).
• A large wedding takes place a guest, Thrain
  Sigfusson, is smitten by 14-year-old Thorgerd
  (Hallgerds daughter), divorces his wife and asks
  for Thorgerds hand immediately (56).

35
Njála 35-36.

• Feud Gunnar is a guest at Njals farm, and their
  two wives start a quarrel over seating
  arrangements (57), but Gunnar breaks it up.
• First violence while Gunnar and Njal attend the
  Althing, Hallgerd sends her servant Kol to kill
  Bergthoras servant Svart (58f.).
• The message is sent to Gunnar at the Althing he
  asks Njal to name his own compensation (59).
• When Skarp-Hedin sees the money, he says it may
  turn out to be useful, and grins (61). He has
  all the best one-liners in the saga.

36
Njála 37-38.

• Retaliation I Bergthora sends her man Atli to
  kill Kol (62).
• Skarp-Hedin has his usual comment (63) Njal
  pays Gunnar the same compensation set earlier.
• Atli stays despite the risk, asks only that no
  slave-payment be made as compensation (63).
• Retaliation II. Hallgerd engages Brynjolf the
  Unruly to kill Atli (64).
• Njal sets compensation here at 100 ounces of
  silver (up from 12 ounces for the slaves).
• Bergthoras men fight more fairly than Hallgerds
  men.

37
Njála 39-42.

• Retaliation III. Bergthora sends Thord
  Freedmansson to kill Brynjolf the Unruly (67).
  Thord a peaceful man and foster-father to all of
  Njals sons escalation!
• Njal gives Gunnar his money back as settlement.
• Peaceful Thord has a vision of a bloody dead goat
  Njal says that was his fetch, a vision that his
  death is now fated (69).
• Retaliation IV Hallgerd sends her son-in-law
  Thrain and Sigmund and Skold to kill Thord
  Thrain stays back while the other two slay Thord
  (71) a grave crime.

38
Njála 43-44.

• Njal assesses Thords death at 200 ounces of
  silver double compensation Gunnar pays.
• Njalssons agree to keep the settlement, but their
  tolerance has reached its limit.
• Insult to Injury Hallgerd thinks up an insult to
  Njal and his sons, and Sigmund sets it to verse
  (74). Repeating publicly such an insult would
  absolutely demand vengeance to restore honor!
• Gunnar is furious when he hears the slander, but
  the Njalssons are outraged goaded by Bergthora,
  they pursue Sigmund (75f.).

39
Njála 45.

• Retaliation V Skarp-Hedin kills Sigmund himself,
  while Grim and Helgi dispatch Skuld. Step-brother
  Hoskuld stays back (77).
• Skarp-Hedin sends Sigmunds head to Hallgerd!
• Gunnar declares that the actions of the Njalssons
  were justified and does nothing about the deaths.
• Three years later, Njal brings the matter up,
  insists on paying for Sigmund (200 ounces, but
  nothing at all for Skuld).
• Njal and Gunnar have maintained their friendship
  despite their wives feud uncommon restraint!

40
Njála 46-49.

• Petite Unns son Mord Valgardsson introduced
  cunning, vicious and jealous of Gunnar (79).
• Otkel and scoundrel Skamkel refuse to sell to
  Gunnar in a time of famine.
• Gunnar picks up worthless slave Melkolf, whom
  Hallgerd sends on an errand of theft and arson at
  the home of Otkel and Skamkel (81).
• Gunnar is outraged to find stolen cheese at home
  and slaps Hallgerd she vows vengeance! (82).
• Otkel and Skamkel go to evil Mord who takes
  their money to find evidence of Hallgerds theft.

41
Njála 49-51.

• Gunnar goes to Otkel and offers generous
  compensation for his wifes cheese theft, but
  Otkel is goaded by Skamkel into rejecting it.
• Skamkel goes to chieftain Gizur the White and
  asks him to set the compensation for Gunnarbut
  lies about Gizurs advice when he returns to
  Otkel issue a summons at Althing!
• Showdown at the Althing legal and semi-legal
  maneuverings by Gunnar and Njal (87ff.).
• Gunnar is awarded self-judgement, and declares
  all sins have cancelled each other out (89).
• Everything is quiet for a while.

42
Njála 52-54.

• Otkel rides an unruly horse into Gunnar and draws
  blood an inflicted wound which would give cause
  for retribution. Gunnar tells his neighbors so
  that he will have witnesses.
• Gunnar hears that Otkel is passing back nearby
  and has heard of insults (crying) spread by
  Skamkel he takes his magic halberd and makes
  short work of the entire group (cite 92f.).
• Brother Kolskegg arrives to kill one of the
  eight.
• Gunnar unsure if he is less manly than others
  because he is more reluctant to kill (93)!

43
Njála 55-58.

• Njal gives Gunnar some good advice at the start
  of his career of killing (94).
• Geir the Priest prepares a court case against
  Gunnar for the slaying of his relative Otkel.
• Gunnar declares the actions null and void (Otkel
  was outlaw) accuses Geir of misuse of the law!
• Njal persuades them to reach a settlement (97).
• New Conflict
• Starkad wants to pit his Red Stallion against
  Gunnars Black Stallion, but Hildigunn warns him
  about Gunnars good luck (99).

44
Njála 58-61.

• Gunnar agrees to the horse-fight, but Njal warns
  him that it will have consequences.
• Horse-fight leads to a real fight Thorgeir
  knocks out Blacks eye, and Gunnar puts Black
  down.
• Gunnar challenges Ulf Uggason at the Althing and
  thus wins a case for his friend Asgrim Gunnar
  is earning more and more enemies!
• Njal warns Gunnar to be cautious and to take the
  Njalssons with him to prevent any attack (102f.).
• Gunnar visits Asgrim without the Njalssons
  Starkad gets a posse of 30 men for ambush.

45
Njála 62-67.

• Gunnar has a dream of fighting a pack of wolves
  sees his youngest brother Hjort fall (105). Fate.
• Knafahills Ambush 30 vs. 3, but the odds are not
  good enough 14 attackers perish, Hjort falls at
  the hands of the Easterner Thorir (106f.).
• Njal plans a legal defense for Gunnar assign
  counter-claims for those he has killed (108).
• Showdown at the Althing Njal outmaneuvers his
  opponents, eventually Hjalti Skeggjason arranges
  a settlement to avoid bloodshed (112).
• Evil Mord Valgardsson plots to defeat Gunnar.

46
Njála 67-70.

• Mords jealousy (and knowledge of Njals omens)
  lead him to manipulate others against Gunnar
  especially sons of the slain Thorgeir Otkelsson
  and Thorgeir Starkadsson.
• Both Thorgeirs plot an ambush of Gunnar, but Njal
  has a vision of sleeping fetches (115). He scares
  them away and threatens a court case!
• Njal arbitrates that case at the next Althing
  famous quote about law in Iceland (cite 117).
• Njal wins the dispute and takes the money in
  case Gunnar needs to pay it back later (117).

47
Njála 70-73.

• Olaf the Peacock gives his friend Gunnar three
  gifts, including the dog, Sam (117).
• Evil Mord Valgardsson and both Thorgeirs plot
  again seduce Gunnars relative Ormhild to get
  his threats (and thus justify retaliation)!
• Ambush at Rang River Gunnar Kolskegg kill
  several, including Thorgeir Otkelsson (119f.).
• Njal warns Gunnar that he has violated his
  warning not to kill twice in the same
  family!(120).
• Gizur the White charges Gunnar with Full
  Outlawry! (cite 121)

48
Njála 74-75.

• Njal manages to arrange a settlement through
  arbitration (see p. 122)
• Compensation determined and paid (same amount
  previously paid to Gunnar!)
• Gunnar and Kolskegg sentenced to Lesser Outlawry
  leave for three years, or else!
• Njal reminds Gunnar that he must leave Iceland or
  bad things will happen (cite 122).
• Gunnar makes plans to leave, but finds himself
  too homesick to leave (cite 123).
• Gizur the White proclaims Gunnar a Full Outlaw.

49
Njála 75-77.

• Gunnars enemies now make open plans to attack
  him no fear of retribution since he is
  outlawed.
• They threaten a neighbor of Gunnars to lure out
  his dog Sam, which they kill (126). Gunnar hears
  the howl and prepares for a fight.
• Black Humor Is Gunnar at home? (126).
• Gunnar thinks of humiliating them while besieged
  in his own home! (127).
• An attacker severs his bow string he asks
  Hallgerd the Vicious for some hair, but she
  refuses, citing his previous slap (128).

50
Njála 77-79.

• until at last they killed him. (128)
• The slaying was spoken badly of in all parts of
  the land, and his death brought great sorrow to
  many.
• People hear singing in Gunnars burial mound
  Skarp-Hedin and Hogni Gunnarsson investigate and
  watch him singing triumphantly inside (130).
• Skarp-Hedin takes the song as a portent Gunnar
  wants vengeance! He and Hogni set out at once.
• More pagan imagery magic halberd sings, talk of
  Valhalla, two ravens accompany the heroes. (131).
• They kill many, Mord the Coward begs for mercy.

51
Njála 80-86.

• Kolskegg travels abroad, has a dream which leads
  to his conversion to Christianity. He travels to
  Constantinople, becomes leader of the Varangian
  Guard, and is now out of this saga (133).
• Thrain Sigfusson (who married 14-year-old
  Thorgerd) goes to Norway and wins glory at court.
• Grim and Helgi Njalssons go to the Orkneys, fight
  in unequal battle against Vikings, but are
  rescued by Kari Solmundarson (137f.).
• They serve Earl Sigurd of Orkney Helgi has
  second sight like Njal. Battles in Scotland.

52
Njála 87-88.

• Hrapp the Scoundrel travels from Iceland to
  Norway, stays with Earl Gudbrand, seduces and
  impregnates his daughter, kills an Overseer, and
  flees into the woods.
• Hrapp the Killer visits the daughter, raids and
  desecrates the pagan temple. He flees to the
  Njalssons they refuse help, but Thrain Sigfusson
  decides to hide him (146f.).
• Thrain takes Killer-Hrapp back to Iceland, where
  he lives near Hallgerd (some say that he seduced
  her) two evil characters together.

53
Njála 89-91.

• Earl Hakon chases the Njalssons believing they
  were party to Hrapps escape he captures them
  alive after a difficult fight (150).
• Helgi and Grim escape and find Kari who protects
  them from the Earl his son Eirik offers a
  settlement and the Icelanders feast for a winter
  and then go raiding in Scotland.
• Back in Iceland, Kari marries Helga Njalsdottir
  and settles near the Njalssons.
• Njalssons still upset with Thrain and Hrapp for
  getting them in trouble with the Earl. Vengeance.

54
Njála 91-92.

• Njalssons want compensation for their injuries,
  but Thrainand evil advisors Killer-Hrapp and
  Grani Gunnarsson (who takes after his mother
  Hallgerd) persuade him to escalate his abuse of
  them (155).
• Kari and 4 Njalssons visit Thrain and trade
  insults instead of a settlement (155f.).
• Skarp-Hedin did not bother to name witnesses to
  the insults he intends to answer with weapons!
• Bergthora hears that Thrain will be traveling and
  tells her sons, who attack despite the odds
  (159).
• Skarp-Hedins famous ice attack (cite 159f.).

55
Njála 92-94.

• Kari and the other Njalssons kill Hrapp and a few
  others, but spare the lives of the puppies a
  biting insult to the young men.
• Ketil of Mork is in an impossible situation
  Njals son-in-law but also Thrains brother. He
  tries to arbitrate a settlement between the
  families Njal pays the entire amount.
• Ketil takes Hoskuld Thrainsson (son of
  14-year-old-bride Thorgerd) as foster-son
  Hoskuld is later adopted by Njal an attempt to
  create bonds of family to undo enmity of feud
  (162).

56
Njála 94.

• Hoskuld Thrainsson grows up to be a fine man,
  gentle and generous, kind and skillful (162).
• Hoskuld enjoys the friendship of all the
  Njalssons, even though Skarp-Hedin killed his
  father. Somewhat artificial brotherly love.
• Njals wisdom and foresight and especially his
  willingness to seek a settlement and pay
  generously for the deeds of his sons have led
  to a period of peace in the saga.
• Turn from code of vengeance to code of
  forgiveness coincides with Conversion of Iceland.