Anonymous, Möttuls saga [The saga of the cloak]

Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland)
Download PDF Add to Bookshelf Report an Error

Möttuls saga is a Norse version of the French comedy

Le Mantel mautaillié

, likely composed just before the end of the twelfth century or the beginning of the thirteenth. It is a type of chastity trial story. The Norse version of the cloak saga (named Mǫttuls saga or Mǫttuls þáttr in manuscripts) can be traced back to the thirteenth century. The foreword of the Norse composition appears to be the work of a translator. After King Arthur has been described at length, it is related how King Hákon Hákonarson commissioned the translation. In spite of the literary topos in this text, there is no reason to doubt the request of the king. This is the basis for the dating of the translation to the early thirteenth century. Hákon Hákonarson ruled in Norway from 1217 until 1263 and it is…

1349 words

Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Möttuls saga". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 March 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41001, accessed 21 November 2024.]

41001 Möttuls saga 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.