Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

This paper examines Icelandic set in 'inhospitable' landscapes, assessing the role of these landscapes, e.g. lava-fields, within legend structure, the frequency of different types of inhabitants within these spaces, and the relationship(s) between rural Icelanders and peripheral unproductive lands.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines Icelandic legends associated with or set in 'inhospitable' or 'unproductive' landscapes, for example, hraun (lava-fields), seen through the lens of Wilhelm Nicolaisen (1987) and Timothy Tangherlini's (1994) adaptations of William Labov's (1967) structural model of legends. My paper represents an offshoot of my previous research on the legend type hefndir huldufólks (revenges of hidden folk). My study assesses whether the negative valences found in preliminary research associated with lava-fields and other deserted land areas are related to the absence of food production, or whether further complexification is needed. I encounter the inhabitants, temporary or otherwise, of these unusable lands: huldufólk (hidden folk), útlagar (outlaws), and so forth. I also explore the role of journeys to (or through) hraun, eyðimörk (deserted lands) within legend structure, that is, whether they represent primarily a complicating action, the strategy to resolve prior conflict, or a heterogenous combination of narrative roles. In doing so, my paper evaluates three queries: the types of legends wherein 'inhospitable' land plays a significant role; what that role is within legend structure; and the frequency of different types of inhabitants within these landscapes. Ultimately, these questions serve to highlight the relationship(s) between rural Icelanders and the unproductive lands peripheral to their dwelling-places.