The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

One thing literature has taught me is that there are many ways to look at a text. For instance, when I read a Saga I’m generally looking for magic and anything to do with the Runes. Last night I got a bug to search for: “Were Viking women happy?” This led me to the following two sites, and a relook at the Volsungs Saga that I’m currently reading. This is what I’ve learned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/women_01.shtml

This BBC article is pretty cut and dry. Considered evidence comes from place-names, archaeological sites, a small discussion of the poem, “Rígsþula,” and a mention of Aud the ‘deep-minded.’
 
Some things I’ve learned from the above article:

• Women obviously made the journey when colonization was part of the agenda
• Farming and trading were family businesses
• Women were left in charge when husbands were out raiding, fighting, et cetera
• Widowed women could be wealthy landowners and traders
• Sometimes women and children followed along on raids and battles
• Women were often buried in finery
• Control over household, food, clothing, children, and dairy

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/society/text/women.htm

This article from Hurstwic is somewhat conservative, but what I love about it is that they quote extensively from many different Saga and Eddic sources, as well as, law codes. It’s a decent treatment on the subject as far as I can tell. At the end of this post are two books on Women Vikings. I haven’t read them, so I really have no idea how good they are.  

The author claims women were under the authority of their husbands and fathers. This fits when it comes to Signy who, unwilling to marry Seggeir and having premonitions of misery if it happens, still “asked her father to make the decision, as he did in other matters that concerned her” (Section 3). On the other hand, King Eylimi allows his daughter, Hjordis, to choose which husband she wishes to have (11). Brynhild also has some choice in the matter.

This article mentions a few general characteristics found in the Sagas. Below are examples from the Volsungs Saga:

• Determined and Vengeful (Gudrun, 40)
• Familial Honor (Signy 6 &
• Personal Honor (Brynhild, 30-33)
• Beautiful and Courtly (Gudrun, 28)
• Intelligent (Hjordis, 11)
• Wise (Bryrnhild teaching Sigurd, 21-22)
• Inciter/Shamer (Borghild, 10)
• Seers (Signy, 4)
• Magically skilled (Grimhild, 28)

Check out the “Pagan Lady’s Necklace” here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/isleofman/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8496000/8496651.stm

Starting on page 10 in this PDF is a breakdown of the Viking Woman’s burial objects:
http://www.culturevannin.im/special/castles/Archaeological%20reports/The%20Pagan%20Lady%20of%20Peel.pdf

This thesis talks about three aspects of Viking Women Honor: Familiar, Personal, and Supernatural
http://www.maritimeheathen.org/Documents/Themes%20of%20female%20honor%20in%20the%20Icelandic%20Sagas-Susan%20Elizabeth%20Rivenbark.pdf


Two books to check out:
   Women in Old Norse Society by Jenny Jochens
Women in the Viking Age by Judith Jesch

To this list I would also add Herbert's "Peace-weavers and Shield maidens", and Enright's "Lady with a Mead Cup"

 
Thanks Bobthesane,

I will definitely check out those books.