Betrayal.
Revenge.
Spies and seduction.
The Northman is an epic tale, but the Legend of Amleth that it's based on is even crazier.
Never heard of it?
Check out this wild Norse legend right here.
Filmmaker Robert Eggers, of "The Witch" and "The Lighthouse" fame, is back at it with
a brutal, atmospheric take on the Scandinavian legend of Amleth.
Eggers collaborated on the script with Sjón, an award-winning Icelandic poet, lyricist,
and novelist.
The movie embodies menacing, moody horror, enhanced by sweeping views of Iceland's unwelcoming,
hostile, and isolated environment.
"The Northman" has a star-studded cast, including Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Alexander Skarsgård,
Anya Taylor-Joy, and Iceland's iconic pop star and performance artist, Björk.
Bulking up for his turn as a Viking, Skarsgård's impressive girth makes the muscle he gained
for "Tarzan" look downright puny.
Besides the incredible cast, Eggers' mastery of horror is in fair form as he plumbs the
depths of Viking lore and Scandinavia's harshest climates to create an eerie setting where
supernatural elements vie with humans for dominance.
But where does the story come from?
It all goes back to a boy named Amleth.
From the ninth through the 11th centuries, marauding seafarers reshaped Europe and much
of the Old World.
Pagan warriors hailing from modern-day Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, they lived as independent
farmers domestically.
But when motivated by overseas treasure, the relative helplessness of their victims, and
overpopulation, they became a brutal and far-ranging killing force.
"You got both axes?"
"Yes mother."
"And something to sharpen them with?"
"Yes, mom."
Relying on lightweight, shallow longboats, they handily navigated the roughest seas and
could sail up rivers, waging warfare well inland.
They indulged in hard-hitting, fast-paced coastal attacks where sheer brutality provided
shock and awe.
As Britannica explains, they mercilessly killed, plundered, and burned everything from isolated
monasteries to thriving urban cities, giving no quarter.
"The Legend of Amleth," a Norse folktale recorded in Latin around the 13th century, provides
glimpses into this world, per British Library.
First recorded in the Dark Ages in the "Gesta Danorum," or "The Deeds of the Danes," it
marked part of a more extensive collection by Saxo Grammaticus, a Danish historian.
You'll find Amleth's story in Books III and IV, per the Medievalists.
This Scandinavian legend inspired Shakespeare's "Hamlet," though how Shakespeare came across
the story remains unclear.
But François de Belleforest published a version in his 16th-century work "Tragic Histories,"
which may have provided the source material.
"Thou hast thy father much offended."
"Mother, you have my father much offended."
Although "The Northman" is worlds away from its Elizabethan counterpart, "Hamlet," it
relies on the same basic storyline.
And in the same vein, the original story of Amleth unapologetically glorifies Nordic-style
vengeance and bloodletting.
Sibling rivalries are as old as literature, whether Cain and Abel or the brothers Karamazov.
It's a universal theme that extends well beyond the Bible or Russian literature.
"I just want you to know I hate you."
Sibling rivalry launches the action of "The Legend of Amleth" and its creative descendants,
like "Hamlet" and "The Northman."
Heck, might as well lump "The Lion King" in there while we're at it.
In this case, the vicious betrayal occurs between Aurvandil War-Raven and his brother
Fjölnir.
According to "Gesta Danoram," Fjölnir's jealousy explodes after Aurvandil kills the king of
Norway and marries the king of Denmark's daughter.
The marriage produces a son and heir, Amleth.
Paying no heed to familial ties, Fjölnir viciously slaughters his brother, stealing
Aurvandil's kingdom and queen in the bargain.
In "The Legend of Amleth," the protagonist avoids his uncle's wrath by feigning madness.
As for "The Northman," he escapes his uncle's grasp, consumed by the goal of eventually
returning to kill Fjölnir, save his mother, and retake the throne.
The murder of his father and marriage of his mother to Fjölnir puts Amleth in a precarious
position.
In "The Northman," Amleth witnesses his father's cowardly murder at the hands of his uncle.
This traumatic event sets the action of the story into motion.
It also motivates the protagonist to flee his homeland commencing the hero's journey
that will eventually bring him back for revenge.
"I will avenge you father."
But Saxo Grammaticus' version proves more ambiguous about what Amleth witnessed.
On the one hand, there's no mention of Amleth present at King Aurvandil's murder.
On the other hand, at the end of the summary of Fjölnir's betrayal, Grammaticus writes,
"Amleth beheld all this, but feared lest too shrewd a behaviour might make his uncle suspect
him."
In other words, Amleth puts on the act of a lifetime, pretending to be a powerless crazy
man so that his uncle wouldn't suspect him of wanting vengeance for the whole "you killed
my father and stole my kingdom" thing.
Grammaticus describes Amleth as listless and useless, wearing dirty clothes and refusing
to bathe.
His outward appearance of foolishness contrasts wildly with his inner burn for revenge against
his father's murderer and mother's betrayer.
The British Library reports Amleth translates as "stupid," which further fuels the case
that he's no threat to Fjölnir.
Yet, beneath the surface, there's another tale to tell.
Although Amleth acts imbecilic and harmless, he also feels compelled to tell the truth.
To navigate the fine line between tomfoolery and detection, he speaks in ambiguities that
prove unsettling to court members, including his uncle.
For example, Grammaticus describes an episode of honesty that should get Amleth killed.
The author relates how Amleth spends his days fashioning small weapons over the fire, which
he tells people he plans to use to avenge his father.
Although his slimy face and filthy clothes cause them to laugh in response, some wonder
if he's as crazy as he lets on.
As Grammaticus notes, the craftsmanship of the weapons suggests a sharper mind than what
Amleth lets on in day-to-day conversations.
Nevertheless, by acting like a fool, Amleth renders himself even less fit than a murderer
for the throne, providing his uncle false assurances.
Like the universal theme of sibling rivalry, "The Legend of Amleth" also explores societal
taboos that crop up often in literature.
Although Sigmund Freud never gave us an analysis of Saxo Grammaticus' original tale, he did
delve into the matter regarding William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in his essay from 1900 entitled "On
Repression in Hamlet."
The famed psychoanalyst argues that Shakespeare's protagonist wrestles with the same dark impulses
as Sophocles' hero in "Oedipus Rex."
Since "Hamlet" comes from the ancient cloth of "The Legend of Amleth," one might assume
the Oedipus complex theory applies to him, too.
But Saxo Grammaticus makes it clear such is not the case.
The original text emphasizes which societal taboos have been broken and who has done the
breaking.
They include fratricide, which occurred at the hands of Fjölnir when he murdered Aurvandil
War-Raven, and sleeping with his sister-in-law.
Grammaticus sets Amleth up as the only individual who can right the wrongs that have been committed,
restoring balance to the kingdom once more.
Despite his best attempts, Amleth's irrepressible honesty eventually incites his uncle's suspicions,
according to British Library.
To bait Amleth into revealing his true intentions, Fjölnir sends Amleth's nameless foster-sister
– think an early version of Ophelia – to seduce him, per the Medievalists.
The notion of a beautiful woman who tempts a man to his destruction is one of the oldest
in literature.
It goes back to the myth of Adam's first wife Lilith, the goddess Ishtar in "The Epic of
Gilgamesh," and the Sirens that threaten Odysseus' ship in "The Odyssey."
"It's coming from that island.
Let's steer heedlessly towards it."
But we're in for a twist when it comes to "The Legend of Amleth."
Grammaticus tells us they've known one another since early childhood, and the alleged seductress
of Amleth acts as his protector.
Why would Fjölnir choose someone so close to Amleth to seduce him?
It's all in Fjölnir's attitude towards his nephew.
He takes very little notice of Amleth while completely underestimating him.
One of the most significant differences between "The Legend of Amleth" and Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
is the role of women.
For example, "The Legend of Amleth's" proto-Ophelia and femme fatale character remains nameles,
despite the fact she plays an integral role in saving Amleth from Fjölnir's trap.
Even the queen has men in her life make decisions for her and speak on her behalf.
Fjölnir even uses her as a scapegoat for his crimes.
In the story, the queen also seems ill-equipped to protect her vulnerable son when he needs
it most.
Even though she's the daughter of a king and one of the few individuals in the story with
actual royal blood, she lacks self-determination.
Fortunately, "The Northman" makes big changes in that regard.
Still suspecting Amleth, Fjölnir sends a spy to eavesdrop on the young man while he
speaks with his mother, according to British Library.
In Shakespeare's play, this marks one of the most famous scenes as Hamlet denounces his
mother, Queen Gertrude, for her crimes.
Gertrude has plenty to say in her defense, making for a dramatic climax that leads to
her crying out in fear, revealing the spy behind the curtain.
But in Saxo Grammaticus' text, we only get Amleth's dialogue as he castigates his mother.
Grammaticus notes simply that Amleth's words corrected his mother's behavior, returning
her to the path of virtue.
The lack of dialogue leaves plenty of room for interpretation as to her true motives.
The Legend of Amleth also featured a spy.
Unlike Shakespeare's man behind the tapestry, the spy has staked out a dark corner of the
Queen's room beneath a pile of straw, as reported by Internet Shakespeare.
Realizing the spy knows he's plotting to kill his uncle, Amleth acts quickly and decisively.
In a rage, he kills the spy, chops him up, cooks the body, and throws the pieces into
the sewer, where the pigs take care of the rest.
Yeah, it's pretty brutal.
Basically, Amleth won't let anything get in the way of his revenge.
Fjölnir finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard spot at this point in the story,
per "The Legend of Amleth."
Although highly suspicious of his nephew, he can't act.
So, he chooses cowardly cunning to take out his rival.
He has two escorts accompany Amleth to England with a letter ordering his execution upon
arrival, per British Library.
But Amleth outsmarts his wily uncle, rewriting portions of the letter to have his escorts
killed.
Then, he marries the daughter of the English king, further securing his noble claims.
Grammaticus uses this motif to emphasize the superior traits of Amleth, pointing to his
rightful place on the throne.
Revenge pervades "The Legend of Amleth," and it remains one of the master plots of classic
literature.
But unlike Shakespeare's "Hamlet," where the playwright spends time ruminating over the
devastating impacts of revenge-seeking on the main characters, Amleth is shown as victorious
and justified.
End of story.
The Medievalists assert that revenge-seeking remained a vital aspect of maintaining honor
in Dark Ages Northern Europe.
And Amleth is ultimately a Viking hero.
Vikings saw revenge and violence as unquestioned necessities.
So, you don't find Amleth wandering through cemeteries embroiled in deep soliloquies.
He's part of a culture with structured means for dealing with transgressions, which makes
self-reflection on the negative impacts of revenge-seeking unthinkable.
"You killed my father.
Big mistake."
After killing his uncle and his courtiers, Saxo Grammaticus sings Amleth's immortal praises.
The author notes,
"By skilful defence of himself, and strenuous revenge for his parent, he has left it doubtful
whether we are to think more of his wit or his bravery."
This celebration of Amleth's violent overthrow of Fjölnir leaves many narrative threads
untied, including what happens to his mother.
But in the story, none of that matters, because he restored the Viking societal order through
violence.
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