Halldór Laxness, Gerpla

Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Kjerstin Moody (Gustavus Adolphus College), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1952

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin; Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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Recommended Reading

Gerpla

(1952), the ninth novel of Icelandic Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, was published in 1952, three years before he received the Nobel prize, and it played a big part in this honour which belonged partly to the great literary heritage of Iceland. As a critical reworking of the medieval

Fóstbrœðra saga

, it is a highly referential text that also carries a strong message about the trope of heroism, the belief in strong leaders and the glorification of war. While it is open to debate which of Halldór Laxness’s novel is his masterpiece,

Gerpla

has a strong following and has contributed much to his prestige.

Gerpla is also one of the most ambitious and nuanced attempts to rework the Old Norse sagas into a modern novel and in this it reflects Laxness’s long-standing and complicated

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839 words

Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Gerpla". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 January 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40780, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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