The Afterman: Life, Death and Impossible Landscapes in the Íslendingasögur

Abstract

This thesis explores the concepts pertaining to the dead in the Íslendingasögur. The first of these being the characterization of the living individuals prior to their expiration as well as their burials and afterlife with the express objective of observing the nature in which these individuals are portrayed, formulating patterns that span different sagas. A second objective is to examine the restless dead, and given the popularity of this subject matter already it is necessary to take into account some of the more known works in this field. However, what I wish to look into more specifically is the relationship that the dead can hold with their surrounding landscapes. The landscape has recently become something of a popular subject in the formation of character in the Íslendingasögur. Following this thematic I wish to observe how the dead are influenced by their surrounding landscape, and how they impact it themselves. Moreover, demonstrate the dichotomy between the peaceful dead and their introduction into the natural landscape, and the restless dead’s manipulation of it.