From Ambassador (Iceland's Bell)
2024/6/21
Photo Credit : Laxness Museum
During the Danish rule in the 17th and 18th centuries, Iceland suffered from natural disasters and famine, and it is even said to be the "darkest period" in the history of Iceland. Alþingi is often understood as a "parliament," but in the past it was also a place of "trial" to settle disputes and controversies. Of course, during the period of the Danish king's rule, trials were held under the authority of the Danish king, who was an absolute monarch, but the judges were powerful Icelandic figures.
Not only trials, but also executions of felons and the drowning of women guilty of adultery by throwing them into Drekkingarhylur were carried out here. At one time, it housed a simple courtroom and quarters for judges.
I was recommended to read the novel "Iceland’s Bell" (originally titled Íslandsklukkan) written by Halldór Laxness in 1943, which is set in the 18th century. The story takes place in Iceland and Denmark during this dark period. At the beginning of the book, the "Iceland's Bell," which is said to have stood on top of the "courthouse" in Þingvellir and was the pride of the Icelanders at the time, is removed by order of the Danish king, and is eventually broken and destroyed. At the time, Denmark was short of copper due to the war with Sweden, and all countries under the reign of the king, including Iceland, were required to provide copper.
This novel doesn’t seem to have a good reputation abroad (especially in Denmark?) as it is full of bad things about the Danes. The Icelanders of that time were despised by the Danes, and without the support of the Danish king, they were forced to live at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. This work, written before Iceland's independence, makes us think about the "pride" of a nation, which Iceland tried to recover through independence.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no Japanese translation, but an English translation exists. If you have a chance, I highly recommend reading it.
(Note: The actual " Iceland's Bell" does not exist in history, and is understood to be a figment of the novelist Laxness's imagination.)
Not only trials, but also executions of felons and the drowning of women guilty of adultery by throwing them into Drekkingarhylur were carried out here. At one time, it housed a simple courtroom and quarters for judges.
I was recommended to read the novel "Iceland’s Bell" (originally titled Íslandsklukkan) written by Halldór Laxness in 1943, which is set in the 18th century. The story takes place in Iceland and Denmark during this dark period. At the beginning of the book, the "Iceland's Bell," which is said to have stood on top of the "courthouse" in Þingvellir and was the pride of the Icelanders at the time, is removed by order of the Danish king, and is eventually broken and destroyed. At the time, Denmark was short of copper due to the war with Sweden, and all countries under the reign of the king, including Iceland, were required to provide copper.
This novel doesn’t seem to have a good reputation abroad (especially in Denmark?) as it is full of bad things about the Danes. The Icelanders of that time were despised by the Danes, and without the support of the Danish king, they were forced to live at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. This work, written before Iceland's independence, makes us think about the "pride" of a nation, which Iceland tried to recover through independence.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no Japanese translation, but an English translation exists. If you have a chance, I highly recommend reading it.
(Note: The actual " Iceland's Bell" does not exist in history, and is understood to be a figment of the novelist Laxness's imagination.)