The saga is a Scandinavian literary prose work

In its main interpretation, this term meansa tale or a legend. The saga is a concept that generalizes literary works-narrations that were written in ancient Icelandic language in the 13th and 14th centuries. They tell of Scandinavian peoples of Iceland of that period, their history and life. These works were born approximately in the period from 930 to 1030 years, in the scholarly milieu called the "age of the saga".

What does the saga mean in literary criticism and literary history?

In principle, this word could meanwritten and oral work, drawn up accordingly. It came from the Icelandic verb "to speak" and initially could determine almost any narrative in prose. However, today the term in the history and theory of literature understands a very definite list of literary monuments related to the relevant period.

Principles of the construction of a work

The saga is a narrative clearlycertain canons accepted for this work. Almost always it begins with the presentation of the main characters to the reader. At the same time, their pedigree is described in many tribes. Sometimes the story about the protagonist begins even several generations before his birth and appearance (right up to the time of settling the Scandinavian lands).

What is more characteristic

The saga is always a large number of activecharacters (up to hundreds or even more). Gradually, the narrative passes to the main events described, in fact, which make up the subject of the story: strife (tribal saga) or government (royal). Here, too, any event (up to the receipt of a wound in combat) is described in great detail and scrupulously. The saga is a well-timed chronology. Still quite often in such works there is an application of magic - a fantastic element. And the protagonist often defeats the evil berserker warrior.

Varieties

1. The saga of the ancient events tells of the myths and legends of Scandinavia: for example, the "Saga of the Velsungs."
2. Saga of the kings tell of the Norwegian and Danish kings: for example, "The Saga of Olav."
3. Generic sagas - about the life and history of the Icelandic people: for example, "The Saga of Egil."
4. There are also translation sagas, representingretelling legends of other peoples: for example, "The Saga of Trojans." And false sagas, and sagas about bishops, and sagas about recent events. Some of them, according to the researchers, contain an account of events based on very real facts (for example, works about the activities of the bishops of Iceland, starting from the year 1000).

The meaning of the word saga in fiction

In the literature this word, often used inmetaphorical, and sometimes ironic context, are called works of more modern epochs, made in such canons of biography. What makes the narrative related to the Icelandic sagas: epic and the narrative of the history of several generations at a time. And some authors even include this word in the name: for example, "The Saga of Forsytes" Galsworthy or other equally epic works of foreign and domestic writers.