Gunnlaug and other poets supply praise and adulation that their lordly hosts demand through verse. A lord's honor and reputation are paramount—only with these can he earn the respect of his followers and the deference of his fellow lords abroad. While in London, Gunnlaug identifies King Ethelred’s desires to be both exalted by his men and to stand strong, distinct, and respected from other kings and lords, and addresses them specifically in his poetry. In his first poem to Ethelred, Gunnlaug declares “‘…the army’s in awe and agog/at [Ethelred], as at God,’” affirming his men’s adoration for him while drawing a divine comparison in one well-crafted verse (“The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-tongue, Poem 3). Ethelred rewards these exaltations with finery and hospitality, and also begs Gunnlaug to stay when he intends to continue his travels, showing that a talented skald is a valuable asset. In his farewell poem to Ethelred, Gunnlaug refers to him as “…the point-goddess’s son…” while styling other lords as “…shapers of war/and…earls of lands…” (Poem 5). Gunnlaug’s flatters Ethelred by relating him to valkyries, but refers to the other lords in terms of their earthly duties, thus inflating the king’s sense of importance. Gunnlaug's kennings lavish Ethelred with praise, lifting his accomplishments and reputation among men both in his London court and beyond to a higher, godlier status. The poetry introduces godly glamor into prose that is otherwise mundane, making the atmosphere grand and valiant. Just so, skalds spin factual events into works of art that demand esteem for their subjects and benefactors, great lords for who honor and the knowledge of that honor is a requisite for respect.
Just as a lord requires a strong reputation to gain respect from his vassals, the layman seeks respect and deference from his peers. In the saga, Gunnlaug loses his betrothal to Helga to another well-regarded poet, Hrafn Onundarson, which he takes as a great dishonor. Following the Althing, Gunnlaug and Hrafn agree to meet one another in single combat over the right to Helga’s hand—while they do not come to blows in this altercation, they, as poets, exchange verses that make clear their intent to triumph in battle. Gunnlaug is first to speak and beseeches “‘God grant the poet victory,’” in which the poet referenced is Gunnlaug alone (Poem 17). By excluding Hrafn from this epithet, Gunnlaug shows his arrogance—he does not recognize Hrafn as an equal, though they are peers in every respect, well-regarded poets from well-regarded families. In contrast, Hrafn identifies this slight in his verse, saying, “ ‘The poet doesn’t know which poet will rejoice…”’ (Poem 17). He extends to his foe the courtesy that was denied him, but follows shortly with a promise to tell Helga “…tales of her man’s bravery…’” (Poem 17). This identifies Hrafn alone as Helga’s rightful husband, mimicking Gunnlaug’s discourtesy with a similar but lawfully justified rebuttal—this is not just a ploy to bolster his masculine ego, but is a tactic to affirm his status as the more honorable, less petty man. In these two poems, Gunnlaug inflates his self-esteem by demeaning his foe, who in turn recovers himself by acknowledging and undermining the insult. This exchange of poetry, meant to defame one another (and retaliate against defamation), illustrates the importance of maintaining status and saving face between two equally regarded skalds.
When a battle of verses becomes insufficient to settle their differences and satisfy their egos, Gunnlaug and Hrafn turn to single combat—both perish from their injuries. Following the duel, the spirits of both Gunnlaug and Hrafn appear to their respective fathers with misleadingly noble and magnificent versions of the outcome. Lofty kennings run rampant: Gunnlaug claims his death is due to “…the war-twig of valkyrie’s thorns…” while Hrafn is cut down by “…the Odin of swords…” and reinforce the gloriously heroic atmosphere of the saga (Poems 23, 24). By framing their duel with such grandeur, both men glorify their accomplishments, making their deaths seem heroic and supernatural in spite of their mortal causes. In Gunnlaug’s verse, he cites his foe: “‘…Hrafn hit me…,’” but does not directly mention him by name when he discusses his own death (Poem 23). Likewise, Hrafn fails to identify Gunnlaug as his slayer, opting for a legendary reason for his death. In spite of this, their fathers Illugi and Onund seek each other for recompense, unconvinced by their sons’ compositions. The poems that they receive from their deceased sons are a plea for recognition and fatherly pride, disguised by a deceptively heroic and grand tone imparted by the lavish kennings. Their final testimonies reveal little of the battle’s final outcome, and the lofty references to divine beings show that the poets intended to impress their fathers with their gloriously warrior deaths, even if they are not entirely accurate.
In life and in death, poets Gunnlaug and Hrafn use their craft to manipulate the truth to acclaim some—kings, earls, themselves—at the expense of others. They convert fact into lofty, exaggerated half-truths to bring distinction to those the poem serves. The use of verse in the saga reinforces the concept of honor as relative, not absolute. To the figures in the saga, honor is a tangible commodity, an inherent and integral, but elusive facet of one's character. A man's reputation is not quantifiable, but rather gauged by how his vassals, kinsmen, peers, and strangers perceive him in relation to other similar figures. The poetry contain the most biased and subjective material within the saga, indulging their subject’s innate desire for honor and esteem. Just as they delight the lords they praise, they cast a glorious, exalting light over the events in the saga, affirming the heroic tone of the work while solidifying the theme of the constant, obsessive pursuit of honor and esteem, the very measure of a man’s relative value in that society, abstract and transient concepts expressed through poetry.
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