Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir was the historical protagonist of the Medieval Icelandic Laxdœla saga, which recounts the history of the People of Laxárdalur. She was famed for her beauty, and was courted by the two foster-brothers Kjartan Ólafsson and Bolli Þorleiksson. Guðrún preferred Kjartan, but she gave herself to Bolli, because of a false rumour that Kjartan was engaged to Ingibjörg, the sister of King Ólafur Tryggvason. The two foster-brothers engaged in hostilities which ended with Bolli killing Kjartan, and Bolli being killed by Kjartan's kinsmen.

Her second son, Bolli Bollasson, was born the winter after the killing of his father, and her first son Thorleik was only four at the time. They grew up in Holyfell, after his mother Guðrún exchanged homes with the renowned Snorri the Goði.^[1]

In 1020, Guðrún remarried, this time to Thorkell Eyjolffsson, who became a great chieftain in his own countryside and took over the running of the household at Holyfell. Thorkell was fond of both his stepsons, but Bolli was regarded as "being the foremost in all things".^[2] Thorleik journeyed abroad to Norway, and stayed with King Olaf II for several months.

Guðrún constantly argued for revenge for the killing of her former husband Bolli Þorleiksson, but eventually her two sons made peace with the sons of Ólaf, Kjartan's kinsmen, at the Thorness Thing; it is not known how much money was exchanged in compensation as part of the agreement, but "both sides were thought to have gained in esteem from these affairs".^[3]

In her old age Guðrún was asked by her son Bolli which of the men in her life she loved most. She gave the cryptic response "To him I was worst whom I loved best," which answer, though accepted by her son, has sparked great debate among scholars as to whom she was referring. ^[4]

Guðrún was the first nun and recluse in Iceland, and she died and was buried at Holyfell.^[5]