The Saga of Gisli: A Critical View of Scandinavian Justice System and Settler Mentality

In The Saga of Gisli, Gisli's outlawry and pursuit is a classic example of the tensions present in Medieval Scandinavian culture's policial and justice system. Several shifts occurred in the ninth century that changed early Scandinavian worldviews, including the influence of Christianity and resistance to nationalism . For example, the old ways insisted that vengeance on behalf of one's kin was expected and power was measured by the ability to gain supporters. Christian thought, however, opposed revenge, uprooting traditional codes about kinship and honor.
Further, no central government en…