Chapters 31-40 Summary

While the first part of the Laxdaela Saga ends in Chapter 31, it is best to include it with the next section, for it foreshadows what is to come. In Chapter 31, Olaf the Peacock dreams that his favorite son will one day die covered in his own blood. This foreshadows the main body of the saga, which will ultimately end in tragedy.

Chapter 32 begins the heart of the saga. It opens by switching to the other main familial lineage in the story. Starting over with Ketil Flat-Nose, we follow the offspring of his son Bjorn the Easterner, particularly Osvifur Helgason and Gudrun, his daughter. Gudrun, along with Kjartan and Bolli, is a main character in the book. In Chapter 32, Osvifur purchases an estate in Saelingsdale, where he will raise livestock; this land will contain a later tragedy.

Chapter 33 is also of great...