In Njal’s Saga, Njal is representative of
some kind of higher power that is consulted but not always followed, creating
this air of religious construct away from that of Christianity. From the very
beginning, he is a person very different from that of the normal Icelandic man.
He is seen as a man of power and great wisdom, far more than any other man seen
in previous sagas. He was always odd considering that “no beard grew on him”
(pg. 35). Men of Iceland were always known for being very large physically as
well as hairy. Njal is envisioned as someone who is genuinely different and
could represent a sort of god-like religious figure within the democratic
structure.
Despite the growing presence of
Christianity in Iceland, there was still a continuous need for a wise being
within the realm of the law. He consulted constantly throughout the saga,
especially in cases that involve consequences and advice. When Bergthora and
Hallgerd were doing their best to get people killed all because of a seat on a
bench, Njal provided several pieces of advice, noting it probably wasn’t a good
idea and he didn’t want to get involved. And when kinsmen of those who had been
taken victim demanded that a settlement be created, Njal was always involved.
Even with all of this wisdom and prestige, his friends and his family still
wouldn’t listen to him. This mirrors that of what occurs in Christianity, the
bible and other instances, where humans betray the given advice of God, despite
the possibility of the outcome.
He also has a magical ability to
“see” the future, making his wisdom far more superior. He is able to predict
the death of Gunnar and also of himself, claiming they were incredibly
unexpected. He is able to see into the past and into the future, settle scores
and bring peace. This ability makes him stand out from other men. The breadth
of knowledge that Njal has is used by several men and women throughout the
saga. They constantly ask him for help and consult on matters, but when it
comes to providing advice that they don’t necessarily agree with, they don’t
always take it, which is similar to that of Christianity or other religions.
When faced with the odds of what is right versus what is wanted, people tend to
abandon correct advice.
Njal is a very complex person, with insane abilities that
no other person has. He is so well read in laws that no one can match his
settlements and rulings. He is able to see into the future and predict what’s
going to happen. He can see into the past with vast memories. Even with the
ability and unrelenting stream of advice for those who ask for it, people still
disobey him and end up suffering the consequences. This is shown several times
when people refer to their Gods in any sort of religion. Despite a clear image
of what is seen to be right, they disobey. Njal acts as a democratic god-like
figure for those in Iceland, with powers beyond those that are human.
We know that these sagas were written well after the Christianization of Iceland. The men writing these sagas would have been Christian and they wrote from that point of view. Its possible Njal was written to be a sort of messiah but I see something different happening here. Njal like you said was known to be wise and had the gift of foresight. People all around Iceland respected him. For someone who is wise (and presumably all knowing) to be one of the first to accept the religion could justify and legitimize the switch to Christianity. If the smartest, wises, most honorable person around accepts Christianity that must mean it’s the best religion (according to the authors of course.)
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