Overview

This volume contains a translation of the version of the Saga of St. Jón of Hólar that is probably closest to the first Latin vita. It is only the second saga of an Icelandic episcopal saint to appear in a modern translation in the present century. The volume consists of two parts, the first comprising a general introduction and a translation by Margaret Cormack. The second part provides a detailed scholarly analysis of the manuscripts, contents, style, and literary connections of the saga by the late Peter Foote, one of the foremost scholars of Old Norse and Icelandic literature.  The Jóns saga was written in the early thirteenth century, nearly a century after the death of its protagonist, the first bishop of the diocese of Hólar in Northern Iceland. The author of the saga combined Latin learning with native folklore to produce a readable narrative that is contemporary with the earliest family and contemporary sagas. This text provides valuable insight into the religious life of ordinary Icelanders in the thirteenth century, and the introduction corrects common misconceptions about ecclesiastical history and the cult of saints in Iceland. It will be of value to scholars of medieval Icelandic literature, hagiography, and history. 

Full Product Details

Author:   Margaret Cormack ,  Peter Foote
Publisher:   Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US
Imprint:   Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US
Dimensions:   Width: 15.10cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.302kg
ISBN:  

9780866986373

ISBN 10:   0866986375
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   05 November 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Prologue Part I Introduction The Church in Medieval Iceland Jón’s Translation and cultus Versions of Jóns saga The Idealization of a Saint; Literary, Hagiographic, and Folkloric Commonplaces in Jóns saga Ancestry and Childhood Appearance Travel Abroad Outstanding Qualities Episcopacy Miscellaneous Motifs Vows and Miracle Dating and Chronology Historicity Women Notes on Medieval Icelandic Society Notes on the translation The Saga of St. Jón of Hólar Appendix I: Gísls þáttr according to L Appendix II: Sæmundar þáttr according to L Appendix III: Jón’s school at Hólar from L Appendix IV: Food multiplication miracle from L Appendix V: Deposition concerning Þingeyrar Part II Peter Foote’s Introduction to the Reykjavík Edition § 1 The Recensions of Jóns saga 1.1 The S Recension 1.1.1 Manuscript Sources 1.1.2 Style and Character 1.1.3 The Date of the S Recension 1.2 The L Recension 1.2.1 Manuscripts of the L Recension 1.2.2 Style and Character 1.2.3 The Date of the L Recension 1.3 The H Recension 1.3.1 Manuscripts of the H Recension 1.3.2 Style and Character 1.3.3 Dating § 2 The Primary Text 2.1 The Author’s Voice 2.2 References to Report 2.3 The Primary Text and Other Sources 2.3.1 Íslendingabók 2.3.2 Ísleifs þáttr 2.3.3 Egils þáttr Síðu-Hallssonar (Egils þáttr ok Tófa) 2.3.4 Þorláks saga 2.4 Þorláks saga and the S version of Jóns saga 2.5 Þorláks saga and the H recension of Js § 3 Gísls þáttr Illugasonar § 4 Sæmundar þáttr § 5 Miracles in Jóns saga and other sources 5.1 The order and dating of the acta post translationem 5.2 Miracles in other sources 5.3 Characteristics of the miracle reports § 6 Gunnlaugr Leifsson’s Vita sancti Johannis § 7 Chronology and History 7.1 Dating 7.2 Jón’s two marriages 7.3 Jón’s school 7.4 Extrinsic Sources § 8 Cult and memorials to St. Jón § 9 Editions and Translations § 10 Manuscripts Bibliography Index

Reviews

"""Inherently fascinating and informative, The Saga of St. Jon of Holar will be of special appeal to readers with an interest in the lives of Christian Saints. An impressive work of meticulous scholarship, organization and presentation."" * Midwest Book Review *"

Inherently fascinating and informative, The Saga of St. Jon of Holar will be of special appeal to readers with an interest in the lives of Christian Saints. An impressive work of meticulous scholarship, organization and presentation. * Midwest Book Review *

Author Information

Margaret Cormack is professor emeritus of religious studies at the College of Charleston, SC, and affiliate professor in the faculty of theology and religious studies at the University of Iceland. She is the author of The Saints in Iceland: Their Veneration from the Conversion to 1400. Peter Foote (1924–2009) was a scholar of Old Norse literature and Scandinavian studies. He inaugurated the Department of Scandinavian Studies at University College London and headed it for twenty years

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions