The Vinland Sagas

1. Compare Greenlander’s Saga to Erik the Red’s Saga on their representation of the “Skraelings,” that is, the Native Americans. Discuss the significance of the differences (for example: is one more positive than the other? If so, so what? 2. Choose one of the sagas and discuss its complicated presentation of paganism. How and why does this saga simultaneously devalue paganism while still admiring (some of) the pagans? You might consider what this complicated presentation of the past says about the way the sagas might have been used. 3. Why do you think the sagas chose to embody the religious conflict between paganism and Christianity by two, contrasting women, that is, Freydis (the Pagan) and Gudrid (the Christian)?