Vikings Exam 1 New Year 2024 with complete solution
Main characters in the Saga of the Volsungs
Odin
Volsung
Sigmund
Sigurd
Gunnar
Gudrun
Brynhild
Saga accounts, such as the passage about politics in Harald Fine-Hair's
Norway found in Egil's Saga, include information about the development of
power and kingship in the early Scandinavian kingdoms. These accounts
suggest that the power and realms of the earliest kings were limited to small
regions. For example, early kings like Halfdan the Black and his son Harald
Fine-Hair spent many years extending their domain until it finally included
much of we now call Norway.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
When Harald Fine-Hair inherited the rule from his father Halfdan the Black, his realm
only included the region of Vik, around modern Oslo. He spent many years
conquering other regions until he had unified most Norway under his rule. When he
started to rule he swore that he would not cut or comb his hair until he had become
the sole ruler of Norway and was nicknamed Harald Matted-Hair. Only after he had
conquered the rest of Norway, and he cut and combed his hair, was he was called
Harald Fine-Hair. According to the sagas, his violent campaigns drove many
Norwegians to leave the country and settle in Iceland.
In the Lay of Rig, the god Heimdall wanders the earth and visits three couples
who later have children.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
In the poem, Heimdall visits three couples: a "greatgrandfather and
greatgrandmother","grandfather and grandmother", and finally "father and mother."
Nine months later each couple gives birth to a boy: Thrall (servant or slave), Karl
(man, or freeman), and Jarl (earl or ruler) respectively.
Some Norse chieftains, like Hersir Erling, allowed their slaves to buy their
freedom.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
According to the Saga of St. Olaf, Hersir Erling allowed his servants and slaves to
work for themselves in twilight or night. Many earned enough to buy their freedom in
one or two years.
Egil Skallagrimsson, the eponymous hero of Egil's Saga, was an Icelandic
warrior and poet who went on many overseas journeys during his youth.
Unlike many Viking warriors, who often died young and in battle, Egil was
unusual: not only did he live to an old age, he also remained remarkably
healthy, active, and continued to go on regular overseas Viking raids well into
his 80s.
TRUE OR FALSE
, FALSE
While Egil did live to an old age he did not remain healthy or active. Rather he
became blind and complained of being a "decrepit old man."
In the excerpt from The Saga of the People of Laxdale, we witness the
introduction and betrothal of two young people: Olaf, the son of Hoskuld and
an Irish slave women, and Thorgerd, the daughter of the warrior and poet Egil
Skallagrimsson. Based on the events recounted in the story, it can inferred
that,
in Norse society marriage proposals were usually negotiated by male head of
households (in this case the respective fathers) but that both male and female
children often were consulted as to whether or not the would accept the
proposed marriage partner.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
In the story, Hoskuld decides that Egil's daughter, Thorgerd, would make a a suitable
match for his son, Olaf, but consults with him before actually making the proposal.
After the proposal is made, Egil goes to his daughter Thorgerd and asks her if she
will accept the proposed match saying, "I've put the whole business completely in
your hands." Initially she rejects the proposed match but later accepts when Olaf
comes and renews the proposal in person. Although there was no legal or social
requirement that they do so, it is a common theme in the sagas that wise fathers
consult their daughters before accepting marriage proposals. When they do not, the
marriage frequently turns out badly.
In Norse society married couples could divorce if certain grounds were met.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
The sources generally agree that married couples could divorce under certain
conditions. Both men and women could initiate a divorce. The story about the
divorce of Thord Ingunnarson and Aud from The Saga of the People of Laxdale
indicates that a failure to conform to gender norms, specifically in clothing, was one
of the many potential grounds for divorce and reinforces the idea that Norse society
had strictly divided rules and norms for how men and would should behave.
Children in Norse society were generally expected to work from a relatively
young age. A common task for children on farms was the supervision of
livestock.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
Children often acted as shepherds. In Grettir's Saga, the young Grettir is assigned
the tasks of tending the geese and horses, although he proves to be very poor at
both jobs.
The poem Völuspá (or the Seeress' Prophecy) tells of the beginnings of the
world, the gods and humanity. It also tells of the death of the gods and the end
of the world in Ragnarok. Despite the grim future foretold by the seeress, the
end of the poem suggests that the destruction of Ragnarok will be followed by
a new age in which the world and the gods (the Æsir) will return.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
After the seeress says that she can see ahead to the Doom of the Gods, she
continues and says that the earth will rise again from the ocean and that the gods
Main characters in the Saga of the Volsungs
Odin
Volsung
Sigmund
Sigurd
Gunnar
Gudrun
Brynhild
Saga accounts, such as the passage about politics in Harald Fine-Hair's
Norway found in Egil's Saga, include information about the development of
power and kingship in the early Scandinavian kingdoms. These accounts
suggest that the power and realms of the earliest kings were limited to small
regions. For example, early kings like Halfdan the Black and his son Harald
Fine-Hair spent many years extending their domain until it finally included
much of we now call Norway.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
When Harald Fine-Hair inherited the rule from his father Halfdan the Black, his realm
only included the region of Vik, around modern Oslo. He spent many years
conquering other regions until he had unified most Norway under his rule. When he
started to rule he swore that he would not cut or comb his hair until he had become
the sole ruler of Norway and was nicknamed Harald Matted-Hair. Only after he had
conquered the rest of Norway, and he cut and combed his hair, was he was called
Harald Fine-Hair. According to the sagas, his violent campaigns drove many
Norwegians to leave the country and settle in Iceland.
In the Lay of Rig, the god Heimdall wanders the earth and visits three couples
who later have children.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
In the poem, Heimdall visits three couples: a "greatgrandfather and
greatgrandmother","grandfather and grandmother", and finally "father and mother."
Nine months later each couple gives birth to a boy: Thrall (servant or slave), Karl
(man, or freeman), and Jarl (earl or ruler) respectively.
Some Norse chieftains, like Hersir Erling, allowed their slaves to buy their
freedom.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
According to the Saga of St. Olaf, Hersir Erling allowed his servants and slaves to
work for themselves in twilight or night. Many earned enough to buy their freedom in
one or two years.
Egil Skallagrimsson, the eponymous hero of Egil's Saga, was an Icelandic
warrior and poet who went on many overseas journeys during his youth.
Unlike many Viking warriors, who often died young and in battle, Egil was
unusual: not only did he live to an old age, he also remained remarkably
healthy, active, and continued to go on regular overseas Viking raids well into
his 80s.
TRUE OR FALSE
, FALSE
While Egil did live to an old age he did not remain healthy or active. Rather he
became blind and complained of being a "decrepit old man."
In the excerpt from The Saga of the People of Laxdale, we witness the
introduction and betrothal of two young people: Olaf, the son of Hoskuld and
an Irish slave women, and Thorgerd, the daughter of the warrior and poet Egil
Skallagrimsson. Based on the events recounted in the story, it can inferred
that,
in Norse society marriage proposals were usually negotiated by male head of
households (in this case the respective fathers) but that both male and female
children often were consulted as to whether or not the would accept the
proposed marriage partner.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
In the story, Hoskuld decides that Egil's daughter, Thorgerd, would make a a suitable
match for his son, Olaf, but consults with him before actually making the proposal.
After the proposal is made, Egil goes to his daughter Thorgerd and asks her if she
will accept the proposed match saying, "I've put the whole business completely in
your hands." Initially she rejects the proposed match but later accepts when Olaf
comes and renews the proposal in person. Although there was no legal or social
requirement that they do so, it is a common theme in the sagas that wise fathers
consult their daughters before accepting marriage proposals. When they do not, the
marriage frequently turns out badly.
In Norse society married couples could divorce if certain grounds were met.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
The sources generally agree that married couples could divorce under certain
conditions. Both men and women could initiate a divorce. The story about the
divorce of Thord Ingunnarson and Aud from The Saga of the People of Laxdale
indicates that a failure to conform to gender norms, specifically in clothing, was one
of the many potential grounds for divorce and reinforces the idea that Norse society
had strictly divided rules and norms for how men and would should behave.
Children in Norse society were generally expected to work from a relatively
young age. A common task for children on farms was the supervision of
livestock.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
Children often acted as shepherds. In Grettir's Saga, the young Grettir is assigned
the tasks of tending the geese and horses, although he proves to be very poor at
both jobs.
The poem Völuspá (or the Seeress' Prophecy) tells of the beginnings of the
world, the gods and humanity. It also tells of the death of the gods and the end
of the world in Ragnarok. Despite the grim future foretold by the seeress, the
end of the poem suggests that the destruction of Ragnarok will be followed by
a new age in which the world and the gods (the Æsir) will return.
TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
After the seeress says that she can see ahead to the Doom of the Gods, she
continues and says that the earth will rise again from the ocean and that the gods
