An explosive love triangle: Gudrun, Kjartan and Bolli

This tragic love story forms the central thread of the 13th-century Laxdaela Saga, probably based on real 10th and 11th-century people and events.

The beautiful and capable Gudrun – twice married, divorced and widowed at an early age – falls in love with the charismatic Kjartan. However, his father believes Gudrun to be very unlucky, so he tries to extricate Kjartan from the relationship by sending him on a trading expedition to Norway.

There he is held hostage by the king, and during his prolonged absence, Kjartan’s cousin and foster-brother, Bolli, persuades the reluctant Gudrun to marry him instead. Kjartan returns shortly afterwards, and Gudrun realises she has made a terrible mistake. Her regret sparks off a series of inflammatory events, which culminate in Bolli slaughtering his beloved foster-brother – who dies in his arms – and then being killed himself in revenge.

Intriguingly, the saga reveals elements of Viking Age culture that are mirrored in the modern world – for example, pre-nuptial agreements, freely available divorce, forced religious conversion and youths going on ‘gap year’-style travels abroad.