Kris' Books.

I immensely enjoyed this play by Henrik Ibsen. I normally don't particularly enjoy reading translations of plays, as they inevitably dilute much of the language features the author had wished to display, but the fabulous plotline compensated satisfactorily in my personal case. From the first page I was blown away by Ibsen's convincing insight into the life of Norwegian/Icelandic Vikings and their families, with many different colourful characters and Viking values. I couldn't help but think of Lady Macbeth when reading about Hiordis with her characteristic ability to 'stir up strife', her strong confidence in sorcery, and headstrong personality. Her verbal tactics of compelling the men around her to increase their status as Vikings by slaying makes her somewhat admirable in a pre-Christian society. However she pays with her greatest love as a result of her pride.