Hrafnkel Saga Essay

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Hrafnkel Paper In “Hrankfel’s Saga”, the emotionally draining and revengeful chronicle that has its share of ups and downs, things turn messy when people misuse their freedom and lack to use it for the benefit of themselves and others. The story takes a turn for the worst when Hrafnkel, a wealthy man and owner of Adalbol, kills Einar. Einar is his shepherd who disobeys his instructions to refrain from riding the horse Freyfaxi under any circumstances. As soon as Hrafnkel employed him, he clearly warned him that he once swore an oath to kill anyone who ever rode his special horse. People are responsible for the way they manage their freedom and for accepting the consequences of their actions, but Hrafnkel subconsciously limited his own freedom when he swore an oath to kill in case someone wronged him. Although the saga takes a different turn that makes the reader wonder whether he is guilty or not, the evidence clearly proves that he is indeed guilty. After hearing of his son’s death, Einar’s father Thorbjorn pays a visit to Hrafnkel in order to ask him for compensation for his son. Hrafnkel admits that this was one of the most dreadful acts he has ever committed and in return offers Thornjob several materialistic renditions, which Thornjob turns down. By admitting that this act was one of the worst he has ever committed, he states that he himself feels guilty as well. If he believed that his actions were acceptable, he would not have offered any compensation at all. All Thornjob wants is for them to pick judges who would settle this issue between them, however Hrankfel immediately refuses because such an act would imply that the two men are equal. The fact that he does not want to go to court perhaps brings something else to surface: he might not want to take matters to court because he fears that he could potentially be found guilty. Helpless Thornjob now

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