The Death of Skallagrim
Egil's superstitions and greediness.
If you have read Egil’s Saga, you should have an idea of how Egil’s relationship with his father, Skallagrim, was. (Hint: it was not great). Both of the men resembled each other in strength, physical appearance, and stubborn ideologies. These shared characteristics did not allow for the two men to get along. And yet, even the face of death could not completely fix their relationship. In fact, the scene regarding the death of Skallagrim and his burial is strange within itself.
Once Egil returns home to bury his father, he
"went through to the bench and stood behind Skallagrim, taking him by the shoulders and tugging him backwards. He laid him down on the bench and closed his nostrils, eyes and mouth" (121).
I found this quite jarring upon reading this. I am not familiar with the viking customs of dealing with a death, so I looked for answers. Luckily, the edition of Egil’s Saga I possess, translated by Bernard Scudder, has attached a footnote to this section of the saga. Here is what it had to say:
Egil "approaches Skallagrim from behind in order to avoid his gaze until he has closed his nostrils, eyes and mouth as a precaution against the 'evil eye'" (210).
If you are like me, upon reading this I was struck with the claim of the evil eye being formidable in this saga. I had originally understood the evil eye as a part of the Jewish and Islamic religion and cultures, but I also understood its persistence through different religions as well. However, I could not see the relation between the evil eye and Norse Mythology, the religion that Vikings participated in (since Egil is a viking, I had to do research on this topic).
My research was a formidable opponent itself. As much as I wanted the various reddit threads on Norse Mythology to be reliable, it is not (currently) established as a credible source. Instead, I had to settle on one source that references the evil eye in Norse Mythology. It states
"The concept of the evil eye is found in many cultures, and it represents a curse or malicious gaze that brings misfortune to the targeted one. In Norse mythology, Odin’s connection to the evil eye is evident through his single eye" (Viking.Style).
However, this source goes on to say that there is no direct connection between the evil eye and Odin’s single eye. This leads me to believe that the translator (or any other contributor’s) fell into the influence of Christian culture regarding the evil eye. Or, possibly, Egil did not want his father’s gaze to fall upon him because their last conversation was an argument. With Skallagrim’s shapeshifting abilities, it might have been possible for other dark (?) magic to transcend the afterlife. Hence, Egil’s avoidance.
Another factor that showcases the relationship Egil had with his father is the line:
"It is not mentioned whether any money was put into his tomb" (121).
It is fitting that the last fight Egil and his father had was over money. The saga makes known that Egil was a miser. That is, greedy with wealth and spends little (think Mr. Krabs from Spongebob). Since this characteristic was attached to Egil, it makes sense that he would be reluctant to bury his father with money. And yet, as the footnote also points out, Egil directly opposes his religion and customs by not burying his father with wealth.
Another source I found on Viking burial traditions states how those that have passed are
"draped in new clothes prepared specifically for the funeral, and a ceremony was held featuring songs, chants, food and alcohol. Tributes and gifts, known as “grave goods” and usually of equal value to the deceased’s status, were buried or burned along with the recipient. These goods ran the gamut, from weapons to jewelry to slaves" (How Did The Vikings Honor Their Dead?).
By not burying his father according to custom, Egil is not providing the honor given to other individuals. While the footnote speaks more on how this shows Egil’s miser characteristics, I would like to believe it shows irony on the last fight Egil had with his father following Skallagrim into the afterlife (he would not provide his goods in life or death).
This was a really interesting read! I was also unfamiliar with the concept of the "Evil Eye" in Icelandic myth, so I'm glad you researched it and summarized it here. Egil's relationship with his father was, as you said, not the best, and this final interaction between the two really hammers in just how strained their dynamic had become. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Excellent post and research Christine! It’s easy to read and see Egil as a miser, but I didn’t really pin him as a character so willing to forgo traditions, whether cultural or religious. Burying his father without gifts for the afterlife seems like a crime considering the Viking culture and beliefs he was a part of. To hold a grudge so deeply as to deprive someone who has died of chances at a happy afterlife-pretty cold. This episode between Egil and Skallagrim fits our conversations about Egil’s ethical code he lives by-a complex code that allows for such mistreatment of the dead, even family.