Even though the ideals of heroism are very prevalent throughout human history, how humanity has defined them have not always been the same. A great example of how our definition of heroism has changed through time can be seen in The Saga of Grettir the Strong. Grettir, the main character of the episodic story, is violent, strong, brave, war-like, and has a rage to match Achilles.
Pretty creepy picture right? I didn't know Grettir looked so much like a murderous Peter Pan. Anyways, I mention Achilles here because the heroes of the Pre-Christian Vikings, like Beowulf, are very similar in their ideologies to the ancient Greek and Roman heroes of myth, like Achilles. Even though the medieval Viking culture and the ancient Greek culture are very different, their definitions of heroism are very similar. Killing, plundering, and honor in battle are all what matters to these iconic figures, and they were hailed as the great heroes of the time. Grettir the Strong fits right in with this crowd, as he is very passionate about fighting and quick to jump into a battle and kill as he pleases. But what is so unique about The Saga of Grettir the Strong is how it frames Grettir in the context of the story.
This saga is set during the Christianization of Iceland, and as the culture of the Icelanders begins to change, so do their ideals of heroism. The Christianization of the west brought about a new definition of heroism, the same one that is commonly accepted today. Violence, fury, and honor are no longer venerated as they used to be, instead being replaced by ideals of heroism that champion graciousness, kindness, and sacrifice. Grettir, not exactly keen on graciousness, soon finds himself outdated and an outcast from the rest of his society. He is even outlawed for his violence (although, ironically, that incident of violence was an accident) and forced to live in the wild. And, in the end, Grettir is killed by his enemies before his twenty years of outlawry can be served. He lives by the sword and he dies by the sword. In a way, Grettir’s story also tells us the story of the ideals of classical heroism and how it eventually was pushed out of society and died. And it's all thanks to Glaum.
I also agree that there are distinct differences between the Christian Heroes and the ones from before Christianity. It feels like Grettir in the Saga was deemed an outcast based on what the Christian version of a hero was, meaning that if Ireland was not converted to Christianity, then Grettirs’ story would have been likely passed down in a more heroic light. I also find that Grettir was unfairly judged based on the “crimes” he committed while he was alive, I often feel like the heroes in a story such as Grettirs’ get superficially judged because of the "violent" nature they possess. Grettitr possessed giant like strength that made him look like a villain/outcast. Just because people look violent, doesn’t mean that their intentions are meant to also be violent. In the case of Grettir, his violent behavior nature got him banished, betrayed and eventually murdered.
ReplyDeleteThe definition of heroism has indeed evolved over the years, especially with the introduction of Christianity. Readers and viewers can see this with Odin as well. Within the Poetic Edda, even though Odin is the god of all, he still acts viciously at times (like when he unfairly punished the Valkyrie). Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, movie-goers did not see this side of Odin until halfway through the recent film, “Thor: Ragnarok,” where Hela reveals him to be as such. It took another villain to remind us that Odin’s behavior is not what today’s society deems as heroic.
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