Anonymous, Þórðar saga kakala

Sverrir Jakobsson (University of Iceland)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1275

Places

Iceland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Prose Fiction Narrative

Resources

Þórðar saga kakala is an Icelandic contemporary saga composed by an unnamed author in c. 1275. It is preserved only within a larger collection of contemporary sagas, known as Sturlunga saga, but it appears that the saga was preserved in a truncated form within the collection, and originally it followed the protagonist from birth to death.

In its extant form within the Sturlunga collection, Þórðar saga kakala covers events in Icelandic political history between 1242-1250 and 1254-1256. The focus is on the figure of Þórðr kakali Sighvatsson (c. 1210-1256) who is of the Sturlungar family. The narrative begins with the hardship of the Sturlungar f…

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998 words

Citation: Jakobsson, Sverrir. "Þórðar saga kakala". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 January 2023 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=40963, accessed 14 May 2024.]

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