Vengeance: From Generation to Generation
In The Saga of the Volsungs, the most prominent theme the author illustrates is vengeance. Vengeance is an important topic of the Middle Ages because it poses an extreme moral dilemma. It is an attempt to answer a problem that has no good solution: What should one do when another person has wronged them? The author demonstrates this dilemma numerous times throughout the story. In the end, it is proven that vengeance only leads to more vengeance and more tragedy.
Vengeance is first shown when Rerir, son of Sigi, kills all of his father's murderers (page 36). The author portrays Rerir as brave and noble for avenging his father's death, even though he was killing his matrimonial uncles by doing so. Rerir then becomes a wealthy and powerful king, admired by many (page 36). It may seem like Rerir's life has a happy ending but in reality his actions cause the rise and fall of the Volsungs.
The next time vengeance appears is two......
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Approximate Word Count: 1147
Approximate Pages: 5 (260 words per double-spaced page) |