SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

66 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
patronising, and reminiscent rather of the naivety and
demand for large-scale suspension of disbelief that one
associates more with a type of medieval writing foreign
to the classical Icelandic mode. It is notable that this
attitude seems to occur especially when Aron's personal
attributes are under review, or when he is mentioned in
connection with Bishop Gubmundr. By no means does
it mar the splendour of the best and most dramatic scenes.
One might say in conclusion that the author has failed
to assimilate completely the secular and religious motifs
with which he is dealing, has failed to find a single standard
of persuasion. This gives rise to an observed lack of
unification in the whole work, for while it contains
passages of fine and stimulating prose it does not
impress one as being dominated by the broad and whole
conception of human life which is found in the best of its
predecessors.