Viking Round Deux

[Alia of the knife]

Funny, though, that Ecbert mentions Charlemagne who was probably the exception to that time in Western Europe.

Yeah, one theory is that the Vikings were reacting to Charlamagnes treatment of pagans, but I think it was more they were exploiting the internal weaknesses of Western Europe and England.

[Raksha 2014]

Seeing Ragnar there sitting between the two women and looking back and forth at them and then proposing this idea to Lagetrtha about the double marriage and how it happened all the time, no big deal was actually quite funny.

Yeah I agree and with Ragnar being a powerful ruler I guess we can not blame him for trying. I was suprised that Lagertha was such a good sport about it for as long as she was. Aslaug almost seemed like she would have gone along with it.

Ragnar made me laugh; even though I wasn't sure whether he was trying to delude Lagertha or himself with the idea of having two gorgeous wives; or was actually thinking it was a romantic/sexy idea. I could just see Lagertha fuming under her icy exterior. Good acting all around.

[pandagod]

Loving second season so far.. Btw how many episodes will there be this season ?

[Talleyrand]

Did we even get a name for that badass old guy who has the biggest balls of the series save possibly for the badass old guy from last season?

[paddington]

Ragnar made me laugh; even though I wasn't sure whether he was trying to delude Lagertha or himself with the idea of having two gorgeous wives; or was actually thinking it was a romantic/sexy idea. I could just see Lagertha fuming under her icy exterior. Good acting all around.

They weren't shy about offering the priest a threesome when he was first captured.

[lacuna]

For all the freedoms Norse women had compared to their contemporaries, such as divorce, society was still fundamentally patriarchal. Lagertha would come out of the divorce with all the belongings she brought into the marriage in the first place, but Ragnar would keep the new title and land. It was Ragnar who made them a name, which is a bit unfair, but that's patriarchy for you.

So, would Lagertha really have had much to bargain with after the divorce? Could she really swing a marriage to another lord, or whatever this new douchebag is? Marriages were a highly political joining of clans, especially for the wealthier types, and I seem to remember Ragnar and Lagertha living in a relatively modest house in S1, suggesting that neither were from rich families.

Also, since Bjorn had been proclaimed a man, he'd be seen as the family provider. (Not her superior as such, but simply that it'd be on him if they starved).

[paddington]

Could she really swing a marriage to another lord, or whatever this new douchebag is? Marriages were a highly political joining of clans, especially for the wealthier types, and I seem to remember Ragnar and Lagertha living in a relatively modest house in S1, suggesting that neither were from rich families.

Could see marrying her as useful. Maybe to exert some pressure on Ragnar at some later date. I thought that was why the new husband turned down Bjorn wanting to go live in a hut. Not from fear of him starving, but fear of losing a hostage that maybe of some value.

[lacuna]

Can a man be that devious, and then fail to realize that backhanding a shieldmaiden might not be good for your health in the long term? (Please, let it be so.)

[Alia of the knife]

Can a man be that devious, and then fail to realize that backhanding a shieldmaiden might not be good for your health in the long term? (Please, let it be so.)

Wasn't it a no-no to hit, or abuse your wife in that society?

[lacuna]

She can't really divorce him as well, her chances of getting married again would be slimmer than last time. She needs to plan any revenge carefully*, as his family is more powerful than hers, and killing him outright will unquestioningly lead to vendetta. His family would see it as their duty to avenge him, her family would be duty bound to avenge her, etc...

There were no laws, and none to uphold justice. The honor system ruled, the balance of shame versus honor was the guiding principle, and your reputation was all you had. Although obviously, who you are in private versus who you are in public are two different things. ETA: Yes, hitting your spouse would be considered shameful in most contexts.

*Luckily for her, a revenge long in the making was considered the best, and most honorable, there was.

[Sarah Lannister]

I gotta say, Thorbjorn Harr (Jarl Borg) is quite the sexy Viking.

:drool:

[paddington]

I gotta say, Thorbjorn Harr (Jarl Borg) is quite the sexy Viking.

:drool:

I love his facial hair.

[Enguerrand]

Wasn't it a no-no to hit, or abuse your wife in that society?

Yep Slapping a wife is the most common reason given for a divorce in the sagas and they almost universally ends with the gruesome death of the man. Hitting a spouse, especially in front of witnesses, was considered extremely humiliating The wife could not only claim monetary compensation for the blows but had the right to divorce the husband(keeping the bride-price) on top of the fine. Violence against women in general was also as affront to their male kin since the father or husband were their legal protectors,whose capacity for violence clearly weren't sufficientely respected., Hitting a women were also considered ill-luck and they were not proper target in the family feuds.

My favorite I think is Brennu-Njáls saga, Were Gunnar, in a fit of rage slapped his wife Hallgerður in the face.after he discovered she had stolen food from a nearby farm during a famine. .

Some years later, Gunnar was attacked in his home by vengeance seekers. He kept the attack party at bay with a shower of arrows from his bow. Killing two and wounding eight. When his bow string was cut by one of the attackers, he asked Hallgerðr for two locks of her hair in order to make a new one.

"Does anything depend on it?" she asked.

"My life," replied Gunnar.

"Then I remind you of the slap you once gave me,and I don't care whether you hold out for a long or a short time." and she refused to give him the hair.

"Everyone has some way of earning fame," "and I won't ask you again."said Gunnar,

Gunnar is of course eventually overcome by the attackers and killed.

[Florina Laufeyson]

Siggy was pretty impressive in Ep 3. She's been through a lot, and the moment she grabbed the shield and axe, I became a real fan of hers. To me that moment was her reaching her boiling point, and saying, "the hell with this, lets get nasty."

Im actually quite the fan of hers even before she donned the weapons. She won me over when she stabbed that Swedish fat Jarl in season 1.

They weren't shy about offering the priest a threesome when he was first captured.

Athelstan was actually a slave at that time. Ragnar is just a randy devil anyway. There is not solid record of Norse society having such relations with free people so when Floki offers that one viking to come to bed with him and Helga, we can just shrug and go "yeah ok."

*Luckily for her, a revenge long in the making was considered the best, and most honorable, there was.

Bolded is my response cuz these fucking quote boxes suck the balls of an aurochs.

Vengeance was very much seen as honorable in those days. It will be interesting to see just who dishes it out though. Her or Bjorn.

Yep Slapping a wife is the most common reason given for a divorce in the sagas and they almost universally ends with the gruesome death of the man. Hitting a spouse, especially in front of witnesses, was considered extremely humiliating The wife could not only claim monetary compensation for the blows but had the right to divorce the husband(keeping the bride-price) on top of the fine. Violence against women in general was also as affront to their male kin since the father or husband were their legal protectors,whose capacity for violence clearly weren't sufficientely respected., Hitting a women were also considered ill-luck and they were not proper target in the family feuds.

My favorite I think is Brennu-Njáls saga, Were Gunnar, in a fit of rage slapped his wife Hallgerður in the face.after he discovered she had stolen food from a nearby farm during a famine. .

Some years later, Gunnar was attacked in his home by vengeance seekers. He kept the attack party at bay with a shower of arrows from his bow. Killing two and wounding eight. When his bow string was cut by one of the attackers, he asked Hallgerðr for two locks of her hair in order to make a new one.

"Does anything depend on it?" she asked.

"My life," replied Gunnar.

"Then I remind you of the slap you once gave me,and I don't care whether you hold out for a long or a short time." and she refused to give him the hair.

"Everyone has some way of earning fame," "and I won't ask you again."said Gunnar,

Gunnar is of course eventually overcome by the attackers and killed.

Indeed. You didnt smack your wife around in those days without losing a lot of face and possibly making the gods stinkeye you. Lagertha's new husbando is in for it.

[Veltigar]

So, we have Bjorn and Snake-in-the-eye but wasn't there a third important son according to the saga? Something the boneless or am I misremembering that. Is he still in or are they dropping him (IIRC he was older than snake-in-the-eye?)

[Alia of the knife]

Yep Slapping a wife is the most common reason given for a divorce in the sagas and they almost universally ends with the gruesome death of the man. Hitting a spouse, especially in front of witnesses, was considered extremely humiliating The wife could not only claim monetary compensation for the blows but had the right to divorce the husband(keeping the bride-price) on top of the fine. Violence against women in general was also as affront to their male kin since the father or husband were their legal protectors,whose capacity for violence clearly weren't sufficientely respected., Hitting a women were also considered ill-luck and they were not proper target in the family feuds.

My favorite I think is Brennu-Njáls saga, Were Gunnar, in a fit of rage slapped his wife Hallgerður in the face.after he discovered she had stolen food from a nearby farm during a famine. .

Some years later, Gunnar was attacked in his home by vengeance seekers. He kept the attack party at bay with a shower of arrows from his bow. Killing two and wounding eight. When his bow string was cut by one of the attackers, he asked Hallgerðr for two locks of her hair in order to make a new one.

"Does anything depend on it?" she asked.

"My life," replied Gunnar.

"Then I remind you of the slap you once gave me,and I don't care whether you hold out for a long or a short time." and she refused to give him the hair.

"Everyone has some way of earning fame," "and I won't ask you again."said Gunnar,

Gunnar is of course eventually overcome by the attackers and killed.

Thanks! :)

[Leofric]

Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Hvitserk and Ubba were the other three sons from what I remember from CK2 The Saxon Tales and The Hammer and Cross series by Harry Harrison

I think the two little boys shown in the last episode are probably Ivar and Halfdan, with Sigurdr being the baby. I think Ubba was a half-brother, so Ragnar slips again.

[GallowKnight]

Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Hvitserk and Ubba were the other three sons from what I remember from CK2 The Saxon Tales and The Hammer and Cross series by Harry Harrison

I think the two little boys shown in the last episode are probably Ivar and Halfdan, with Sigurdr being the baby. I think Ubba was a half-brother, so Ragnar slips again.

The older two kids are Ubba and Hvitserk (Halfdan).

[Eira Seren]

Im not exactly on board on how Ecbert is presented but its still too soon to tell. Hes written too Bond villainish right now. I hope that changes. Lagertha is likely not the one to dish the damage to her new husband. ;)

Hai. I am Florina and i am here to plead Floki's case.

Floki is a deeply religious person. He has a real problem with the idea that theres a religion out there that preaches against his gods. You will note that he had no real issue with Athelstan's beliefs originally. Why is this? Because Athelstan was not trying to force his god on Ragnar or his family. Floki was also really cool with Athelstan's seeming conversion. Floki did not have a problem with Athelstan not being a sacrifice way back in the first season. Floki had a problem with Rollo's agreement to get baptized back in season 1. Rollo tries to prove otherwise. Floki's like "heh. ok..." Floki has a growing problem with Christianity. Mostly the part of it thats like "you go to hell if you dont believe this." Floki has a problem with Athelstan's chat with Ragnar earlier because he fears that Ragnar will go Christian. Floki has a problem with Athelstan standing up for that bishop and feels Athelstan will betray Ragnar and thus, Floki himself, for the Christian god. So he tests Athelstan with the saint's bones and that bible.

Floki has a problem with Christianity.

I dont see this as dickish as much as Floki being very frightened and angry at the idea that Christianity is taking a solid hold over things. I didnt see the bishop as a dick either. Pretty sure we were supposed to feel very conflicted about that whole thing. Who's truly in the right? Was Athelstan in the right for mercy killing the bishop? Was Floki in the right for punishing that bishop for preaching that the Norse gods are evil? Is there a right and wrong belief? These are the issues being brought forth. I dont think we are supposed to actually turn on Floki as an audience. Nor are we supposed to stop sympathizing with everyone else. (except Jarl Borg. That guy is a bitch.)

this troubled me about Floki, mainly because in most ways I see him as the kind of guy who wouldn't want anyone to die a bad death. An enemy he's fighting should, technically, count in that number as well, especially since it also reflects on him and his fighting. Lots of honor going on there. Yet not when it comes to a priest. Possibly because Floki doesn't see him as a fighting man? Even so, I rarely see him mistreating anyone until this season, and it seemed a bit out of character from before to suddenly see him torturing someone or otherwise doling out a bad death. The thing with Athelstan I can better understand, but that's possibly because he's worried that Athelstan's so good looking and now sees him as competition :) Joking about the last part.

Professional soldiers in ~800 AD England? Where'd you get that idea?

I thought mercenary was the other world's oldest profession

[Alia of the knife]

this troubled me about Floki, mainly because in most ways I see him as the kind of guy who wouldn't want anyone to die a bad death. An enemy he's fighting should, technically, count in that number as well, especially since it also reflects on him and his fighting. Lots of honor going on there. Yet not when it comes to a priest. Possibly because Floki doesn't see him as a fighting man? Even so, I rarely see him mistreating anyone until this season, and it seemed a bit out of character from before to suddenly see him torturing someone or otherwise doling out a bad death. The thing with Athelstan I can better understand, but that's possibly because he's worried that Athelstan's so good looking and now sees him as competition :) Joking about the last part.

I thought mercenary was the other world's oldest profession

Yeah, I think it was just this behavior seemingly coming out of no where that seemed not right. It's as if they decided to enhance Flokis presence at the last minute.

I think I read they were not necessarily prepared for a second season and were caught off guard with it's popularity, so who knows.