THE MEMORY OF ABERRANCY IN THE RAGNARS SAGA LOĐBRÓKAR

Abstract

This honors thesis explores the memory of king Ívarr inn beinlausi through the social model of disability. Utilizing historical and archaeological sources, this study addresses whether Ívarr was impaired by Scandinavians of the Middle Ages. Settled in the backdrop of the Viking Age, the Icelandic Ragnars saga loðbrókar ok sona hans covers the legacy of the legendary king Ragnarr loðbrók and his sons, with particular emphasis on his firstborn Ívarr. By exploring impairment from a social model of disability, this study examines the factors that impacted how Ívarr was remembered in medieval saga and present-day depictions with a focus on media and medical constructions. Ívarr’s compliance with societal values of wisdom and strength has sustained his memory over the years. Furthermore, a close reading of the text suggests that Ívarr’s supernatural abilities derive from his aberrancy. This study argues that Ívarr was not disabled by Scandinavian medieval persons but was impaired. In contemporary depictions of Ívarr, media sources such as Vikings (2013-2020) stress his disability as a barrier to be overcome.