I am very late in my post about seid and men. In this post I am emphasizing the use of the word ergi. This one was difficult because the term that is used is ergi or argr. The term is used very sparingly in the sagas and are not necessarily addressing a male. Originally when I was researching the topic, I saw the term and the initial description of homosexual and thought that was it. Big mistake. While the word does have that connotation, it doesn't appear to be the only understanding of the word and does not have to be directed towards men. Just as in our modern society, words can have various meanings and depending on the context, this will change the meaning.
This topic is interesting because linguistics play a major roll in understanding a culture. However, the issue with studying the Norse culture or the Viking era, other than rune stones that are dated to the time period, the majority of the sagas were written, well after. When reading the sagas it is important to know about the author and time period and context.
This topic is interesting because linguistics play a major roll in understanding a culture. However, the issue with studying the Norse culture or the Viking era, other than rune stones that are dated to the time period, the majority of the sagas were written, well after. When reading the sagas it is important to know about the author and time period and context.