SOURCE: Ciklamini, Marlene. “Grégóríús Dagsson, Snorri's Flawed Hero.” Scandinavian Studies 50, no. 2 (spring 1978): 186-94.

In the following essay, Ciklamini focuses on Snorri's complex characterization of Grégóríús in the Heimskringla.

Heimskringla is full of admiration for the martial skill, spirit, and intelligence of the hero. Indeed, the importance of the warrior for the survival of society is intimated at the beginning of the monumental work, the mythical prologue to the history of the Norwegian kings. Óðinn heads the Norse pantheon. His qualities explain his dominance in the mythic and heroic ages, and his veneration justifies on a mythological level the adulation of warrior kings.¹ Even when the Christian postheroic era is described, the virtues and attainments of warrior kings inspire some of Snorri's most dramatic scenes.

Headlong bravura in combat often ensured victory in doubtful battles. Kings were extolled for routing enemies through the...