V: Yule in Denmark explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Paganism and Christianity

  The chapter contrasts the Jomsburgers' pagan ways with King Harald's Christian court, culminating in a priest's drunken blasphemy and the king's silent fury.

• Love and Destruction

  Styrbiorn's growing attraction to Thyri is shadowed by his hesitation and the political tension it may cause with King Harald.

• Kingship and Legitimacy

  Styrbiorn jests about replacing Harald as king, and the conversation about Icelandic priest-rulers raises questions about the nature of kingship.

Characters to notice

• Styrbiorn the Strong

  Visits King Harald in Denmark for Yule; jestingly provokes the king; grows close to Thyri but hesitates to pursue marriage.

• Biorn Asbrandson

  Styrbiorn's sworn brother; accompanies him to Denmark; advises Styrbiorn on marriage; tells King Harald about Iceland's priest-rulers.

• Harald Gormson

  King of Denmark; hosts Styrbiorn and Biorn at Yule; outwardly jests but inwardly rankles at Styrbiorn's taunts; has a Christian priest and kirk.

• Thyri

  King Harald's daughter, fourteen winters old; shares easy, merry talk with Styrbiorn; becomes more silent as the chapter progresses.

• Palnatoki

  Captain of Jomsburg; not present in Denmark but mentioned as foster-father to Harald's son Svein and as Styrbiorn's commander.

• Heming

  Second son of Strut-Harald; stays as captain in Jomsburg over winter after the lot falls on him.

Key passages

• “There is good guesting, Styrbiorn, with King Harald Gormson in Denmark. For thither fared I when first I came east out of Iceland, and King Harald was good to me and welcomed me well. There is this too, that he hath a daughter young and meet for wedlock.”

  Biorn suggests they visit King Harald in Denmark, noting the king's hospitality and that he has a marriageable daughter.

  Biorn proposes the visit and hints at a potential match with Thyri.

• “Thyri was King Harald's daughter. She was now fourteen winters old, of few words but with a merry eye. Her hair was black and of a dainty curling growth, her mouth sweetly shaped but somewhat large. Folk found it hard to say if she were exceeding fair to look on or not fair at all, for she seemed both the one and the other by turns.”

  Thyri is described as a quiet, enigmatic girl of fourteen, whose beauty is ambiguous and changeable.

  Introduction of Thyri's appearance and character.

• “Oft would Styrbiorn and Thyri be a-talking together. Biorn marked how those two, that were wont to be short of speech with other folk, were between themselves full of all talk and merriment; and their talk was easy, as if each knew easily the other's mind, as a man knows the countryside he was bred up in and finds all things there of kin with him.”

  Styrbiorn and Thyri converse freely and happily together, unlike their usual reserve with others.

  The natural rapport between Styrbiorn and Thyri is observed by Biorn.