Anonymous, Fóstbrœðra saga

Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland)
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Fóstbrœðra saga

is one of the best-known sagas of Icelanders, preserved in three medieval versions which differ considerably, in the renowned manuscripts Möðruvallabók, Hauksbók and Flateyjarbók, respectively, all from the fourteenth century. The saga is now often seen as probably composed in the late thirteenth century, though previously believed to be one of the oldest sagas and hailing from the early thirteenth century, a dating that still enjoys some following (see Jónas Kristjánsson 1972; Andersson 2015).

Some of the manuscripts (mainly Flateyjarbók) contain passages that are atypical for the genre, often referred to as “clauses”, where the narrator intrudes into the narrative, commenting on the events or displaying their learning. These passages have often been seen

1147 words

Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Fóstbrœðra saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 February 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41270, accessed 13 October 2024.]

41270 Fóstbrœðra saga 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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