The position of women in Old Norse society and the basis for their power

According to the sources the position of women in Old Norse society was rather good. In this article the trustworthiness of the portrayal of women in saga literature is discussed. Special emphasis is given to the goading women since the picture of the strong women in Old Norse society leans very heavily on this motif. Today some scholars believe in the goading women, others regard them to be the authors’ invention. In this article it is argued that the goading women belong to real life, and that women who goaded acted in a female role which gave them real power. Finally, the author tries to point out a few factors which could explain the basis for women's power in Old Norse society.