Bjørnstjerne Martinus Bjørnson, Sigurd Slembe

Kathy Rees (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.5: Norwegian Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Kjerstin Moody (Gustavus Adolphus College), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London), Anja Tröger (University of Edinburgh)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1862

Places

Norway (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Play

Resources

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This trilogy of plays represents the violent period in twelfth century Norway when royal succession laws recognised the claims of illegitimate sons, resulting in many political factions and, ultimately, civil war. This is a play about allegiance and betrayal, about ambition and indifference. Among the chieftains, politicians and soldiers, plotting and counter-plotting is common; this sense of confusion and uncertainty is reinforced by Bjornson’s use of vigorous, fast-paced scenes.

The eponymous protagonist is based on Sigurd, son of Thora Saxesdatter, husband of Audhild Torleiv. In the Heimskringla of Snorri Sturlsson (1178/9-1241), Sigurd is described as having been

The eponymous protagonist is based on Sigurd, son of Thora Saxesdatter, husband of Audhild Torleiv. In the

Heimskringla

of…

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2890 words

Citation: Rees, Kathy. "Sigurd Slembe". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 April 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35891, accessed 24 April 2024.]

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