The Thrall's Tale by Judith Lindbergh
Fall Into History Where Violence is Respect and Love is Weakness
Apr 21, 2009
This hefty volume is not light reading, but it is well worth your time. The characters are deep, intricate and unusual, and the setting is vividly drawn. There are also a number of subtexts Lindbergh subtly weaves throughout the story. The story begins with the Vikings journey from their Nordic home to the newly discovered Greenland.
The Nature of Maternity
The image and nature of the mother figure is at the center of the novel. Indeed, there is a lurking trinity of women. Katla is the primary female character, the mother of Bibrau and slave to Thorbjorg, the wise woman. They are the maiden-mother-crone of the pagan world, and their bond and struggles shows the depth of that relationship.
It also shows, however, the complexity and depth of hurt and anger that can come from the maternal relationships. Katla, with her burning hate over Bibrau's conception, taints her daughter from the womb, creating a monster.
Bibrau, feeling her mother's hate and aversion, twists and morphs into a being of anger and rejection. It is in her that the reader can see how devastating the loss of a mother's love can be.
Thorbjorg, her ancient ways being maligned and overrun, turns to the women to support her, trying to train Bibrau to be her successor. Her ways are often harsh and make the reader cringe, furthering the readers inability to write Bibrau off as simply evil.
The Nature of Belief
At issue throughout the story is the clash of belief systems. The Vikings are a proud, independent people with a unique and volatile pantheon. They sacrifice, they pray and dance and worship to the gods who reflect the harshness of the cold, desolate world they live in.
It is the slave-thrall Katla who introduces the possibility of Christianity among the Vikings, most of whom mock her for it. But old seeress Thorbjorg sees in Katla's beliefs the change of her world, and she does what she can to stop it. Bibrau, as Thorbjorg's replacement, is the very epitome of hubris as she uses all the knowledge she has gained to try and push away the hands of fate that are quickly weaving new patterns for the Vikings.
Eventually, the Vikings give in to the change from their pagan pantheon to the Christian faith, but not really for the sake of faith itself. It has far more to do with politics. Trading, shipping, and travel from the Nordic lands to the frozen wastes of Greenland was dependant on good will. And that good will came from a newly Christian king.
Such is the fate of the Vikings gods. Thor and Odin are replaced by God and Jesus, and the Viking culture is forever changed.
The Nature of Emotion
Throughout the novel, emotions run high between the characters. The reader can feel Katla's pulsing hate and fear for the man who so violently abused her. The reader can feel Bibrau's frustration, anger and eventual evil as though is slips from the page. Thorbjorg's sadness, depression and pride are beautifully evident.
So, too, is the power of love a clear healing agent. Even with Katla's past, her new found love for Osser allows her to begin healing, as does the prospect of their unborn child. Katla's love and respect for Thorbjorg, even if she was her owner at one time, heals the rift between them, giving them both a sense of peace after so much destructive upheaval.
It is only Bibrau, never shown any love, but rather only repulsed unless she is being trained, who is beyond the ability to love, and this inability eventually curses her among the Vikings.
In a culture of high passion, both in love and in war, having none would have been a curse indeed.
The Author
Judith Lindbergh travelled to Greenland to research this novel. Her fascination with the Viking's began in 1991 when she saw replica ships docked in New York. Her work has appeared in various magazines and journals, and her photographs of Greenland have been on exhibit. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and sons.
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