Hrafnkel

& # 8217 ; s Saga Essay, Research Paper

Justifiable Homicide

In the Norse household saga, the chief character Hrafnkel is justified in his violent death of Einar. Although there are several grounds that Hrafnkel was unjustified in his act, the grounds back uping Hrafnkel s title outweigh the grounds that would oppose it. The Icelandic thought of civilisation, jurisprudence, and the importance of one s word all provided a strong backup for Hrafnkel to move in the manner that he did.

Hrafnkel s slaying of Einar was justified in a myriad of ways. When Hrafnkel hired Einar to be his shepherd, Hrafnkel told him that he may sit any Equus caballus that he pleased, but he must non sit Hrafnkel s award Equus caballus Freyfaxi. If Einar disobeyed Hrafnkel s orders, Hrafnkel informed him that he would be killed. ( 38-39 ) In this period of history a adult male s word was highly of import. One who keeps his word was held in high respect in these times. Hrafnkel states to Einar that warning wards off all incrimination. ( 40 ) Stating that I will kill you if you ride Freyfaxi, and you will be at mistake. Another ground that Hrafnkel is justified in his violent death of Einar is that it sets an illustration to neighbouring townsfolk and to the remainder of his retainers. It shows what will go on if Hrafnkel s bids are non followed decently. The ground that Hrafnkel is so protective of Freyfaxi is that he has offered this Equus caballus up to the God Frey, and Frey and Hrafnkel were the lone two allowed to sit Freyfaxi. ( 38 ) The God Frey was an highly of import portion of Hrafnkel s spiritual ; hence Einar s taking to sit Freyfaxi was blasphemous in Hrafnkel s

eyes. Religiously, Hrafnkel believed that nil good could of all time go on to people who break their solemn vows. ( 43 ) If Einar could non obey this highly of import regulation of Hrafnkel s, so how could Hrafnkel trust Einar to follow any other bids? Finally, because of the jurisprudence that existed, Hrafnkel knew that he could acquire off with this slaying. Although non morally, he was theoretically right. ( 37 )

Though there are legion grounds why Hrafnkel was justified, there are a few grounds why he was non. First of wholly, this was slaying. In any manner one looks at it. In the tribunals of present twenty-four hours there is no manner that Hrafnkel would hold gotten away with this act. Second, in comparing the two losingss each Hrafnkel and Einar suffered Einar s loss of his life, by far outweighed Hrafnkel s mental hurting of cognizing that person other than he or Frey had ridden Freyfaxi. ( 42 ) Was killing Einar necessary or could Hrafnkel hold merely fired Einar? One would look to believe that firing Einar would be merely plenty. Finally, Einar was utilizing Freyfaxi to recover Hrafnkel s sheep and Equus caballuss. It wasn Ts like Einar was utilizing Freyfaxi at leisure ; he was utilizing the Equus caballus to execute his occupation to the best of his ability. ( 41 )

The antecedently stated facts are overpoweringly in support of Hrafnkel. Hrafnkel offered any other Equus caballus in the stable but Einar still chose to sit Freyfaxi. ( 39-40 ) One must populate up to their word in these times. One who reads this narrative in the present epoch may see it as a barbarous narrative of slaying and absolutism, but one forgets how much we as a civilisation have drastically changed from so to now.