Saga Readings

Saga Analysis

• Erik the Red
• Bjarni Herjofsson
• Leif Erikson
• Thorvald
• Thorfinn Karlsefni

1. Who formed the expedition and what was its size?
   
   
   
2. What motivated these Norse explorers to undertake the journey?
   
   
   
3. Using only the clues from the saga, draw a map indicating (a) the course of the voyage(s), and (b) the locations of significant places and events.

 

 



4. Assess the content of the saga for bias and selectivity of evidence. Identify aspects of the story you regard to be incredible, dubious, or perhaps subject to corruption in the retelling, and suggest reasonable alternative interpretations.