Jorunn Bjarnadottir
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Jórunn Bjarnadóttir (Old Norse: [ˈjoːronː ˈbjɑrnɑˌdoːtːez̠]; Modern Icelandic: [ˈjouːrʏn ˈpja(r)tnaˌtouhtɪr̥]) is a female character who appears in Laxdœla saga, one of the Icelandic family sagas (Icelandic: Íslendingasögur). She first appears in chapter 9, where she is introduced as the wife of a powerful Icelandic chieftain (Icelandic: goði) Höskuldr Dala-Kollsson from Höskuldsstaðir in Laxárdalur, Iceland.[1]
Jórunn Bjarnadóttir is the daughter of Björn who settled Bjarnarfjörðr in North-Western Iceland. He is described as being both highly-born and very wealthy (stórættaður maður og auðigr að fé).[1] Jórunn's mother is a woman named Ljúfa, although no further description is given.[1] However, Jana K. Schulman in her article "Make Me a Match: Motifs of Betrothal in the Sagas of the Icelanders." suggests that in the sagas, successful relationships are portrayed as being composed of partners of equal status and standing. This would then indicate that Ljúfa would have come from a similar background as husband, Björn.[2]
Bjarnadottir is the mother of two sons, Thorleikr and Bárðr, and two daughters, Hallgerðr longbrók and Þuríðr. She is the grandmother of Bolli Thorleiksson who features prominently throughout the later half of Laxdœla saga.
Characteristics
Bjarnadottir is initially described in Laxdœla saga as "a good-looking woman, very proud, and no less clever. She was considered the best match in the entire West Fjords."[3] Following her marriage to Höskuldr, it became apparent that in addition to her cleverness, she was also skillful and experienced, although at times headstrong.