Abstract
The Icelandic sagas "The Saga of Grettir the Strong" (written in the fourteenth century by an unknown author) and "Egil's Saga" (written in the early thirteenth century by Snorri Sturlson), tell us much about the life in Scandinavia at the time and about the culture that produced these works. The paper shows that in this regard, they are similar to other epics and sagas which convey information about the life of the past, from the Homeric epics through Virgil, "Beowulf", "El Cid" and many others. It shows that the plots might emphasize heroic actions and great battles, but at a more basic level, the sagas tell us how the people lived , how they related to the world, and what they thought about the world in which they lived. This paper analyzes both works, including characters. It discusses the societies in both sagas and compares them with one another.

From the Paper
"The characters in the Icelandic saga Egil's Saga live in a brutish world where they have to fight almost constantly to live and protect themselves and their kin. The rules of conscience such as we know them today do not apply to characters such as Egil, who commits his first murder when he is six years old and who is noted and honored for the ruthlessness with which he conducts his affairs. The values of the Vikings have to do with a sense of honor, with the maintenance of order within a kingdom if not between kingdoms, with the continuation of a hierarchy, and with the all-embracing need to further the interests of society in terms of security and the economy. These values applied in an environment of violence, plunder, and the destruction of enemies, and these values can be seen as reflective of the world which formed them."

Tags:Borgarfjord, Skallagrim, Harald, Fine-Hair, All-Thing

Abstract
In this article, the writer studies the book "Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas, and Power" by Jesse L. Byock. The writer discusses that Byock provides fresh historical and social insights into life in medieval Iceland, and that the critical acclaim Medieval Iceland has received confirms that he succeeded in writing an illuminating narrative that shed new light on the importance of sagas to Icelandic society and politics in the medieval era.

From the Paper
"Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas, and Power was written by Jesse L. Byock and was published by the University of California Press in 1990. Byock's background as a professional historian specializing in Old Norse and medieval Scandinavian history at the University of California renders him particularly qualified to write this book. One of his main purposes was to provide fresh historical and social insights ..."

Tags:book, review

From the Paper
"This study will examine the role which the perspective of universal fatalism plays in the ethic of human interaction in Njal's Saga, the Icelandic epic prose narrative from the late 13th century by an unknown author and translated by Magnus Magnusson and Hermann Palsson. The study will consider the impact of universal fatalism on not only feud and retribution but also friendship, family, and the rule of law---all important features of this ethic.

Essentially, the argument of the study will be that the perspective of universal fatalism of the culture portrayed in the saga forces the characters to adhere to a strict code of chivalric and heroic behavior on earth because they do not have the promise or consolation of any sort of external afterlife. The unspoken assumption of the author is that human beings must find ..."

Abstract
This paper discusses the similarities between Icelandic spiritism and the African Dagara tradition despite stemming from extremely different cultures in separate areas of the world. The paper explores the background of both cultures and religions and their views on the spirit world. It finds that both religions base their spiritual practices on the necessary connection between the physical and spirit worlds.

From the Paper
"The afterlife is a far more complicated concept than it initially seems. Comparing two different religions that are fairly isolated within their own specific communities (and even countries) can be challenging. And yet, we find that at the root of both Icelandic spiritism and African Dagara practices, there are several common concepts."

Tags:dagara, spiritism, religion, shaman, afterlife

Abstract
This paper discusses the local impact of tourism in three separate countries: Iceland, Greece and South Africa. It looks at specific examples of how tourism effects each country in regards to the local economy. It also looks at the future of tourism in these countries, spcifically whether or not the country supports tourism or is against the expansion of tourism. The paper looks at Iceland from the perspective of an environmental group who opposes tourism, at Greece from the perspective of the a local stakeholder who is in favor of tourism and at South Africa from the position of a director for a chain of resorts looking to expand into parts of South Africa.

Table of Contents:
Iceland
Greece
South Africa
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The implementation of new resorts can also take advantage of the eco-tourism in South Africa. South Africa has a diverse climate ranging from tropical to desert conditions. This offers the opportunity for visitors to see the varied South African environment, and all of the species of wildlife that South Africa has to offer. The number of national parks has grown to 21 throughout the country. The increase in tourism will bring a better awareness to the South African environment, which will lead to better conservation of wildlife and their habitats."
"You only need to look at cities such as Cape Town where tourism has completely turned the local economy around. A city such as this has thrived on tourism and has been successful at doing so with the promotion of surfing, scuba diving, rock climbing, etc. We can help to improve other cities by introducing growth, in the tourism sector, by building new state-of-the-art resorts which will bring new jobs to the community which will then improve the local economy of that area."

Tags:resort, holiday, attraction

Abstract
The paper examines the dependency theory in relation to Iceland, as well as the country's limited resources. The paper explores the economic performance of Iceland and shows how the country must develop the necessary technological infrastructure to help develop the information industries. The paper also relates that Iceland needs to find ways to make use of its unique geographic location and topographical features.

Outline:
Theoretical Approaches
Capitalist Development
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Iceland is a country most people know only by name. Indeed, the name itself is one of the reasons so few tourists visit, given that they tend to look for warmer climes, and Iceland is clearly not in that hemisphere. Also, Iceland has few well-known tourist attractions or even historical sites of import. The country was settled by Norwegian and Celtic immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D. The country does have the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Iceland was independent for more than 300 years before being ruled by Norway and Denmark."

Tags:dependency, theory, tourism, globalization, infrastructure

Abstract
This paper presents the history and geography of Iceland's formation from a geological perspective and contains various sources and a glossary.

Abstract
This paper examines how there are many resemblances between the works of Tolkien and that of ancient works of literature. It looks at how "The Lord of the Rings" saga shares its origins of heroic myth in the classic literature that Tolkien admired, studied and taught. It discusses how the "Beowulf" saga is probably the most recognized today of those studied by Tolkien. Iceland's Poetic Edda and Old Norse Mythology are also reviewed.

From the Paper
"Tolkien himself acknowledged The Kalevala as an influence for some of his ideas. The Kalevala is an epic poem, which Elias Lonnrot in the 19th century said that he had compiled from Finnish folk sources. It is commonly called The Finnish National Epic and is one of the most significant works of Finnish-language literature. The Kalevala is a Finnish epic put together in the 19th century from traditional stories and myths that had been handed down through families. It tells of a hero, Vainamoinin, and his adventures. Magic and magical beings, good and evil, and treasure to be sought (the Sampo) that would provide for all men, are recorded in this great epic poem. "

Tags:Elves, Beowulf, Lord, of, the, Rings, Hobbit, mythology, Anglo-Saxon