Sorry for opening new threads all the time, but I would need some references and opinions about the status of women in Sweden between 600 and 1200 CA.
I have been reading the Ynglinga saga at
http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/ynglinga.html and made the following observations:
- Women were described as "daughters of Frey and mistresses of their own property"
- Swedish women were told to drink beer with their husband on an equal basis, while Norwegian men drank in all male company, without their wives
- Swedish sons of kings were often described as boasting, aggressive and somewhat stupid which showed in the dozens of bizzarre ways they met their death (drowned in urine, falled into psychosis and run into a crack of stone, drank berserk potion and were killed in 10 seconds in a combat, etc)
- Swedish women, on the other hand were always presented as really wise, strong and justful. Only vice they had was that they tended to kill their husbands or fathers, if the man broke a serious promise that had been given to the wife/daughter.
- There were several detailed descriptions about how women inherited, and controlled their inherited lands and buildings.
- Although fathers officially decided about the marriage of daughters, they often made the decision in agreement with their wife, asking the daughter's opinion.
Do you know any scientific references to the status of women in Sweden in that time? I know a lot of litterature that describes the bad status of women in years 1400- 2000, but that is not what I am asking for.
(And please, do not suggest Vägen till Jerusalem for me as a reference :)
Also I would be interested in your interpretations of the saga.