Unknown

“ King Olaf, the Apostle of Christianity to Iceland, held an important place in the Icelandic literature of the first part of the thirteenth century, and one of his admirers thought it desirable to collect into one complete story, and weld together, the notices respecting him. First and foremost of the author’s sources is the Heimskringla life, by Snorri, which gives what may be called an historical picture of the hero. ”

“ But we are obliged to confess that the writer is not always so happy in his expression as his originals are, and that his insertions sometimes cause his narrative to lack force in dramatic circumstances. ”

“ Its writer introduces long speeches and sermons, which he puts into the mouth of King Olaf and others, the simplest abridged statements given by the Heimskringla in the Third Person being expanded into long discourses in the First Person. He is not fond of the Historic Present Tense, much used in the Heimskringla, and very frequently changes it into the Past Tense. Where the Heimskringla passes without notice from indirect to direct narration, the Great O. T. Saga writer is careful to mark the transition by “said he”, “said they”. ”