From Sinner to Saint: Guðrún Ósvífrsdóttir, Laxdæla saga, and the Lives of Women Penitents.

This article examines the relationship between translated hagiographic literature and vernacular saga literature in medieval Iceland. It challenges the assumption that sagas were directly influenced by the lives of saints, instead proposing a more nuanced understanding of their connection. The author focuses on the character of Guðrún Ósvífrsdóttir in Laxdæla saga, suggesting that she reflects elements from the lives of four women penitents in hagiographic literature. The article also explores the different types of saints in early Christianity and how their lives influenced the portrayal of characters in sagas. It discusses Guðrún's transformation from a sinner to a saint, paralleling the journeys of female penitents in Old Norse-Icelandic tradition. The text also considers the social resonance and audience of these sagas in Iceland, despite the potential lack of relatability to everyday Icelanders. [Extracted from the article]