Afternoon of Alterity - Nazareth College

also using his death to explore heroism and uniformity. First, Grettiris consistently used to define the monster, particularly through thesystem of outlawry. He is consistently viewed as the other, “far inadvance of other men” with an exceptional physical appearance,Thornstein saying: “I have never seen a man’s arm like this” (88,115). He is even cursed, Glam punishing him: “most of what youdo will now turn against you, bringing bad luck and no joy. Youwill be made an outlaw” (102). Despite Grettir’s nature, his physicalappearance and cursed existence render him a monster regardless.The institution of outlawry confines him multiple times to a life asan outlaw, as exampled when text states, “Thorir made Grettir anoutlaw in every part of the country” (123). No matter how Grettirreacted, the system of outlawry confined him to a life as a monster,never allowing him to overcome the perceptions because he wasneeded as an outlaw to clearly identify the boundaries of society. Yet,because Grettir’s presence as an outlaw made his name renownedthroughout Iceland, in his death, the governmental body was forcedto not only acknowledge this man, but praise his life; this is done toensure that Grettir was not remembered for his misdeeds, but forhis twisted conformity. Sturla the Lawman, at the end of the saga,declares that:Grettir was the cleverest, as witnessed by the fact that helived in outlawry longest of all men and was never overcomewhile he had his health. Second, he was the strongest manin the land among those of the same age, and he was betterthan others at removing the walking dead and monsters.The third was that Grettir, unlike any other Icelander, wasavenged out in Constantinople (238).Suddenly, the threat that Grettir posed to the values of society areeliminated in his death. Instead, he is prized for his abilities tocaitlin garvey 123