Gunnar Hámundarson
Encyclopedia
Gunnar Hámundarson was a 10th century Iceland
ic chieftain
. He lived in Hlíðarendi
in Fljótshlíð
and is probably better known as Gunnar of Hlíðarendi (Old Norse: Gunnarr á Hlíðarenda). He features prominently in the first half of Njáls saga, which tells of the chain of events ultimately leading to his death in battle.
He was married to Hallgerðr Höskuldsdóttir of Höskuldsstaðir in Laxárdal in Dalasýsla, who was known as Hallgerðr langbrók ("Hallgerður longpants"). He was her third husband. It was said that she had killed both her former husbands, but had in fact only killed the first. Their marriage was considered imprudent by Gunnar's friend Njáll Þorgeirsson
, because it was caused by lust and not practicality.
, and in close combat his weapon of choice was the "atgeir", which scholars consider to have been a halberd
or glaive
of some sort. He was also skilful stone-thrower, able to hit enemies between the eyes from miles away, and a godlike swimmer. There was supposedly no game at which he had an equal. His behaviour was always polite, but firm — he gave good advice, and was kind and mild, yet he wasn't thought of as an intelligent man because of his way of talking. However, Gunnar's wise insights and deep understanding strongly suggested that he was as smart as he was handsome. He was loyal to his friends and kept good company. Gunnar has been called "handsome and beautiful of skin and had a straight nose, turned up at its tip. He was blue-eyed and keen-eyed and ruddy-cheeked with thick lustrous hair, blond and well-combed." He was described as the most beautiful man in the world, and as having no equal.
of Bergþórshvol and came to him often for advice. Njáll tells him not to kill two men of the same family — this would lead to his death. Njáll's prediction proves right. When Gunnar kills two family members of Gissur the White, the family seeks vengeance and the men set out to Hlíðarendi to do murder. Njáll advises Gunnar to leave Iceland and head abroad to escape them. Initially, Gunnar intends to depart, but when he sees his homestead from the distance, he is so moved by the beauty of it that he changes his mind and decides to remain behind. This leads to the epic battle in which Gunnar is killed.
When Þorgrim and a few other grudge-bearing men are scouting around Gunnar’s house, Gunnar wakes up and stabs Þorgrim through a gap with his axe. Þorgrim returns calmly to his comrades, who ask if Gunnar was home. “Find that out for yourselves, but I am sure of, that his axe is home,” he says, and then falls down dead.
At first, Gunnar manages to fight off his numerous attackers with his masterful archery. When his bowstring is broken in close quarters combat, he asks his wife Hallgerður for hair from her head to mend the bow. Gunnar had slapped her previously, and she vindictively refuses. He must thus confront his attackers in hand-to-hand combat and is killed as a result.
). His manliness, courage and heroic demeanor are exaggerated, and he seems to have no ignoble weaknesses.
Gunnar is probably the most unreservedly admired of Icelandic saga heroes: a man of heroism, energy, virtue, and — above all — unswerving loyalty to the land of his birth and love for its overpowering physical beauty. However, to some Icelanders, Gunnar is a cliché, used to reference exaggerated or unbelievable qualities of character.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic chieftain
Gothi
A goði or gothi is the Old Norse term for a priest and chieftain. Gyðja signifies a priestess.The name appears in Wulfila's Gothic language translation of the bible as gudja for "priest", but in Old Norse it is only the feminine form gyðja that perfectly corresponds to the Gothic form...
. He lived in Hlíðarendi
Hlíðarendi
Hlíðarendi is a famous place in Icelandic historical literature. Gunnar Hámundarson from Njála used to live in Hlíðarendi in Fljótshlíð and there was a manor house and churchground....
in Fljótshlíð
Fljótshlíð
Fljótshlíð is a rural area in the municipality of Rangárþing eystra in Suðurland, southern Iceland. Fljót means "river" and hlíð means "mountain side", which refers to its location north of one of the major rivers in Iceland....
and is probably better known as Gunnar of Hlíðarendi (Old Norse: Gunnarr á Hlíðarenda). He features prominently in the first half of Njáls saga, which tells of the chain of events ultimately leading to his death in battle.
Lineage and family
Gunnar was the son of Hámundr Gunnarsson and Rannveig Sigfúsdóttur (according to Njáls saga) or Rannveig Sigmundardóttur (according to Landnáma). He had two brothers, Kolskeggr and Hjörtr, and one sister named Arngunnr, who was the wife of Hróar Tungugoði.He was married to Hallgerðr Höskuldsdóttir of Höskuldsstaðir in Laxárdal in Dalasýsla, who was known as Hallgerðr langbrók ("Hallgerður longpants"). He was her third husband. It was said that she had killed both her former husbands, but had in fact only killed the first. Their marriage was considered imprudent by Gunnar's friend Njáll Þorgeirsson
Njáll Þorgeirsson
Njáll Þorgeirsson was a 10th century Icelandic lawyer who lived at Bergþórshvol and is one of the main protagonists of Njáls saga, a medieval Icelandic saga.Njáll was the son of Þorgeir "gollnir" Ófeigsson...
, because it was caused by lust and not practicality.
Gunnar the hero
Gunnar was a great warrior — he is described as nearly invincible in combat. According to Njáls saga, he was a powerful, athletic man "capable of jumping his own height in full body armour, both back and front". He was a skilled archerArchery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, and in close combat his weapon of choice was the "atgeir", which scholars consider to have been a halberd
Halberd
A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...
or glaive
Glaive
A glaive is a European polearm weapon, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. It is similar to the Japanese naginata and the Chinese Guan Dao....
of some sort. He was also skilful stone-thrower, able to hit enemies between the eyes from miles away, and a godlike swimmer. There was supposedly no game at which he had an equal. His behaviour was always polite, but firm — he gave good advice, and was kind and mild, yet he wasn't thought of as an intelligent man because of his way of talking. However, Gunnar's wise insights and deep understanding strongly suggested that he was as smart as he was handsome. He was loyal to his friends and kept good company. Gunnar has been called "handsome and beautiful of skin and had a straight nose, turned up at its tip. He was blue-eyed and keen-eyed and ruddy-cheeked with thick lustrous hair, blond and well-combed." He was described as the most beautiful man in the world, and as having no equal.
Gunnar's death
Gunnar was a close friend of Njáll ÞorgeirssonNjáll Þorgeirsson
Njáll Þorgeirsson was a 10th century Icelandic lawyer who lived at Bergþórshvol and is one of the main protagonists of Njáls saga, a medieval Icelandic saga.Njáll was the son of Þorgeir "gollnir" Ófeigsson...
of Bergþórshvol and came to him often for advice. Njáll tells him not to kill two men of the same family — this would lead to his death. Njáll's prediction proves right. When Gunnar kills two family members of Gissur the White, the family seeks vengeance and the men set out to Hlíðarendi to do murder. Njáll advises Gunnar to leave Iceland and head abroad to escape them. Initially, Gunnar intends to depart, but when he sees his homestead from the distance, he is so moved by the beauty of it that he changes his mind and decides to remain behind. This leads to the epic battle in which Gunnar is killed.
When Þorgrim and a few other grudge-bearing men are scouting around Gunnar’s house, Gunnar wakes up and stabs Þorgrim through a gap with his axe. Þorgrim returns calmly to his comrades, who ask if Gunnar was home. “Find that out for yourselves, but I am sure of, that his axe is home,” he says, and then falls down dead.
At first, Gunnar manages to fight off his numerous attackers with his masterful archery. When his bowstring is broken in close quarters combat, he asks his wife Hallgerður for hair from her head to mend the bow. Gunnar had slapped her previously, and she vindictively refuses. He must thus confront his attackers in hand-to-hand combat and is killed as a result.
Gunnar as a literary character
Gunnar Hámundarson is generally considered to be the archetypical "light hero" of the Icelandic sagas (as opposed to "dark heroes" such as Egill SkallagrímssonEgill Skallagrímsson
Egill Skallagrímsson was a Viking Age warrior and skald. Egill is one of the great anti-heroes of the Icelandic sagas.-Life:...
). His manliness, courage and heroic demeanor are exaggerated, and he seems to have no ignoble weaknesses.
Gunnar is probably the most unreservedly admired of Icelandic saga heroes: a man of heroism, energy, virtue, and — above all — unswerving loyalty to the land of his birth and love for its overpowering physical beauty. However, to some Icelanders, Gunnar is a cliché, used to reference exaggerated or unbelievable qualities of character.
External links
- Pictures of Hlíðarendi in Iceland
- Þorleifur Hauksson reads "Gunnarshólmi." 5:06; 3.3Mb
- Njál's saga
- Gunnarr Hámundarson Poetry attributed to Gunnar in Njáls saga