Sagas are
poetical histories describing ancient times, one's
ancestors[?], or histories of people and
nations. So-called
sagamadras[?] recorded most of the
Icelandic sagas between
1180 and
1300 A.D. Based on
Norwegian and Icelandic histories and [genealogy | genealogies]], these sagas present views of Nordic life and times up to 1100 A.D. The saga writers sought to record their
heroes' great achievements and to glorify the virtues of
courage,
pride and
honour, focusing in the later sagas on early Icelandic settlers.
- The Main Icelandic Sagas (Íslendingasögur):
- Bandamanna saga
- Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss
- Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa
- Brennu-Njáls saga
- Droplaugarsona saga
- Egils saga
- Eiríks saga rauða
- Eyrbyggja saga
- Finnboga saga ramma
- Fljótsdæla saga
- Flóamanna saga
- Fóstbræðra saga
- Færeyinga saga
- Grettis saga
- Gísla saga Súrssonar
- Grænlendinga saga
- Grænlendinga þáttur
- Gull-Þóris saga
- Gunnars saga Keldugnúpsfífls
- Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu
- Hallfreðar saga vandræðaskálds
- Hallfreðar saga vandræðaskálds
- Harðar saga og Hólmverja
- Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings
- Heiðarvíga saga
- Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða
- Hrana saga hrings
- Hænsna-Þóris saga
- Kjalnesinga saga
- Kormáks saga
- Króka-Refs saga
- Laxdæla saga
- Ljósvetninga saga
- Reykdæla saga og Víga-Skútu
- Svarfdæla saga
- Valla-Ljóts saga
- Vatnsdæla saga
- Víga-Glúms saga
- Víglundar saga
- Vopnfirðinga saga
- Þorsteins saga hvíta
- Þorsteins saga Síðu-Hallssonar
- Þórðar saga hreðu
The original vellum manuscripts as well as copies made during the Middle Ages and some present-day translations of the sagas can be studied on-line at the following website: