Structure and Meaning in Thorstein Mansion-Might's Story

Structure and Meaning in Thorstein MansionMight 's Story Thorstein Mansion-Might's Story (Jhrsteins pdttr beejarmagns) is classed as one of the fomaldarsdgur - fantastical tales about olden times in Scandinavia.1 The oldest manuscripts which contain it date from the fourteenth or the fifteenth century, but the events in the story are set some four hundred years earUer, in the reign of King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway (995-1000 A D ) . Since the tale apparently survives in some forty-eight manuscripts, w e may suppose that Icelanders found it appealing.2 A summary of T M M S is now given. The plot is quite simple. FoUowing terse historical and genealogical indications, w e have two preliminary episodes; then a long main section about Thorstein, Godmund, and Geirrod; and lastly a coda, as I shall caU it. The main surface themes are Thorstein's boldness, skiU, and luck in the half-mythical Other World of fornaldarsOgur. Underlying themes, expressed as a pattern of oppositions, will be discussed later. Thorstein was the son of one Brynjolf, known as 'the Camel'. H e was strong and unusuady big in stature - hence his nickname 'Mansion-Might'.3 Though a Christian, Thorstein was an aggressive man, hard to deal with and not much liked. H e took service with King Olaf, who employed him in a dangerous mission (ch. 1). ThefirstpreUminary episode (ch. 2)tellshow Thorstein took up the chance to foUow a certain bald- or crop-headed boy from a mound (hdll, haugr) on a magicalridethrough a mistyriverto the Other World. They found a royal feast in progress there. It seemed that they were invisible to the reveUers, and the boy began to ptifer food. For his part Thorstein, relying on King Olafs ed. Gufini J6nsson, in Fornaldar Sdgur NorOurlanda IV, Reykjavik, 1954, 31944 . English translations may be found in Jacqueline Simpson, The Northmen Talk, London, 1965; in Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, Gautrek's Saga and Other Medieval Tales, London, 1968; and in Pllsson and Edwards, Seven Viking Romances, Harmondsworth, 1985, 258-81. I follow Palsson and Edwards, Seven Viking Romances, and adopt their anglicisations of Scandinavian proper names. I abbreviate the translated title of the pdttr as TMMS. For the numbers of manuscripts and datings, see E.O.G. Turville-Petre, Myth and Religion of the North, London, 1965, 31; Jacqueline Simpson, Otherworld Adventures in an Icelandic Saga, Folklore 11, 1966, 1-20, and esp.l; and Marlene CiMamini, Journeys to the Giant-Kingdom, Scandinavian Studies 40, 1968, 95-110, esp. 96. It is explained that Thorstein was too big and powerful for most doors and most houses, hence his nickname of 'Mansion-Might, which is the Pdlsson-Edwards translation of bxjarmagn. Simpson's 'Otherworld Adventures' has 'Strength of the farm', and Ciklamini translates as 'the Farm-crasher'. The tale plays on the nickname by showing Thorstein in different perspectives. 70 B.K. Martin 'luck' or hamingja being with him, seized a precious ring and a cloth.1 By feats of valour and the help of the bald-headed boy (who somehow knew that Thorstein was King Olafs man), he returned to the mound; and from there he made his way back to Norway. He presented the treasures which he had obtained to the king. King Olaf offered suitable rewards, and everyone was impressed by the tale of Thorstein's adventures. In the second pretiminary adventure (ch. 3), Thorstein encountered a certain hideous dwarf (dvergr). This dwarf was in despair because an eagle had carried off his son: it was probably a 'devti' (dfdgnudr) sent by Odin.2 Thorstein shot the eagle down and saved the boy. The grateful dwarf insisted on giving Thorstein a shirt which made him invulnerable, a ring which made himrich,a stone which made him invisible, and another stone which would produce hail, sunshine or fire as the owner desired. This last stone could also be used as a missile. Thorstein was modestly reluctant to accept these gifts, but he was to use them aU in the main episode which now follows. Thorstein and his men sailed through mist to an unknown country. Thorstein decided to explore it alone, and soon met a party of 'very...