Analysis Of Hrafnkel's Saga

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The norms of a society and the way it functions can be reflected in its legal system. This notion is significant to Hrafnkel’s Saga as it helps put the death of Einar into perspective. According to Professor Wen, the saga portrays a bloody and messy period of transition between a premodern honor culture and a modern system of law. The legal system of this era reflects a stark contrast from the laws and constitutions of today. In the narrative, Hrafnkel executes Einar for disobeying his orders to refrain from riding Freyfaxi and is charged with murder without a due process trial. There are two aspects of the story that must be taken note of in order to assess whether Hrafnkel is guilty or not. First, the importance of one's word in regards to agreements and honor. We must also account for the fact that Hrafnkel did not act out of anger or spite since he was simply abiding by the oath he had sworn to. Taking into consideration these points, Hrafnkel is not guilty of the crime of murder.
One's word and the oath that is made between two people were crucial to how society functioned durin...

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