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That episode reminded me of a series of books called "The Saxon chronicles"...Almost to the point that I assume the show is somewhat based on those books.
A viking crew led by a guy named Ragnar goes to Northumbria and captures an English kid as a slave, but Ragnar likes him, he grows up to be a Viking. In the book it's told from the kids point of view and he's not a monk. Kick ass books.
The books are by Bernard Cornwell and are really very good; if I remember correctly the main character is from Bebbanburg and was 'responsible' for Lindisfarne so the raid as shown on the tv show reminded me of the books.
I was somewhat shocked in a good way by the second episode. The writers didn't sugar coat these Vikings at all. They showed them for the brutal marauders they really were. It was actually a little tough watching them slaughter those monks. The only part that seemed a little off was the portrayal of the women which seemed somewhat contemporary. Good show so far.
The books are by Bernard Cornwell and are really very good; if I remember correctly the main character is from Bebbanburg and was 'responsible' for Lindisfarne so the raid as shown on the tv show reminded me of the books.
One difference in the show and those books and others I've read, is that in the books the village chief is considered a good guy, someone you want to fight and die with. On the show, what's his name, is cruel and evil.
But that probably has more to do with the show needing a villian and dramatic tension.
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Originally Posted by Dport7674
Give a few specific examples of the hate that you saw depicted towards Europeans.
The warlord chieftain was unusually cruel (as well as was his wife), Ragnar's brother is a rapist and lusts for his brother's wife, the Viking raiders slaughtered unarmed priests who did not even raise a fist to the Vikings, and to top it off, the Vikings desecrate at least one crucifix for no apparent purpose. And those are just off the top of my head.
And did we see any redeeming qualities from any of the characters? Perhaps a few, but the negative character attributes dominated the show's second episode. This show intends to mock Europeans, but that's nothing new out of the mainstream media...after all, how many times did the History Channel air that documentary about Israel's attack on the USS Liberty? Exactly ONCE, and you can bet a number of people were dismissed from making any such programs ever again. However, you can be certain there will be no such retribution for a show such as Vikings...
You are spot on about how Euro history wasevolving in the "Dark Ages" They called it that for more reasons than one.
Sometime back PBS did a great documentary mini-series entitled "The Story of English" I marvled at how the English language that dominates more than half of today's world evolved from a tiny little village in Europe. The amazing aspect of the dialect was it's ability to absorb and morph many other languages and tongues such as latin, French, Spanish etc. Unlike other languages which remained in their rudimentary tongue.
I would recommend this show to anyone who enjoys the history of the Anglo-Saxon culture and its influence and impact on our modern world....
Before I lost it in a move, along with the book, I had a copy of that seires. The history of an area is literally *written* in its language. The earliest words which still exist, drawn from the mother root language of the indo-european first immigrants are words like 'mother' and 'father' and the terms everyone everywhere shares. There is a list of the twelve most fundamental words in English.
There is a book I had (went whereever the series went) which was arrainged in cronological chapters from the early indo-european, to the most recent (at least in the 90's). There is a huge index at the end which tells you where to look up the word. But reading it is like reading a history of the British Isles. I've looked on Amazon and can't find that particular book, but it was one you could literally read as a history. I *think* it was called 'the history of the English Language' but couldn't find anything like that listed that was published in the late 90's.
I don't remember, but was that the series where they went to historic Virginia (I think Virginia) as an example of what the true dialect of what 'english' sounded like in Shakespeare's time, and how the rythmes and cadence of his plays fits perfectly. That veddy proper upper class accent did not exist in the 1500's, the general accent being more like early colonial America, and did not really develop until the power of the upper class solidified with their accent as their signature.
I love how BBC records its drama's in local accent and subtitles them. So if its Cornwall, you hear the accent and words of Cornwall, and well *may* need subtitles.
The warlord chieftain was unusually cruel (as well as was his wife), Ragnar's brother is a rapist and lusts for his brother's wife, the Viking raiders slaughtered unarmed priests who did not even raise a fist to the Vikings, and to top it off, the Vikings desecrate at least one crucifix for no apparent purpose. And those are just off the top of my head.
And did we see any redeeming qualities from any of the characters? Perhaps a few, but the negative character attributes dominated the show's second episode. This show intends to mock Europeans, but that's nothing new out of the mainstream media...after all, how many times did the History Channel air that documentary about Israel's attack on the USS Liberty? Exactly ONCE, and you can bet a number of people were dismissed from making any such programs ever again. However, you can be certain there will be no such retribution for a show such as Vikings...
But there WAS no 'Europe' then, and the raiders were vicious in their raids. They were far worse than the earlier raids by the Angles and Saxons upon the Romans and at first for treasure. But part of the heritage of the English is Scandanavian, for the Vikings did not just raid. They settled. They were farmers by normal occupation and finding good ground settled among the natives. After the raids ceased, there was a 'viking' presense in northern and eastern Britan for centuries, later absorbed into the populas as the Normans overran all of them. Like it or not, history is often NOT kind or simple and conquers do not always set out to be. The Viking raiders WERE visious to the local population before they began to move there. It's far better to portray history as it was than please some kind of a political agenda.
The warlord chieftain was unusually cruel (as well as was his wife), Ragnar's brother is a rapist and lusts for his brother's wife, the Viking raiders slaughtered unarmed priests who did not even raise a fist to the Vikings, and to top it off, the Vikings desecrate at least one crucifix for no apparent purpose. And those are just off the top of my head.
And did we see any redeeming qualities from any of the characters? Perhaps a few, but the negative character attributes dominated the show's second episode. This show intends to mock Europeans, but that's nothing new out of the mainstream media...after all, how many times did the History Channel air that documentary about Israel's attack on the USS Liberty? Exactly ONCE, and you can bet a number of people were dismissed from making any such programs ever again. However, you can be certain there will be no such retribution for a show such as Vikings...
Wow is right. Someone must listen to a lot of Wagner.
The warlord chieftain was unusually cruel (as well as was his wife), Ragnar's brother is a rapist and lusts for his brother's wife, the Viking raiders slaughtered unarmed priests who did not even raise a fist to the Vikings, and to top it off, the Vikings desecrate at least one crucifix for no apparent purpose. And those are just off the top of my head.
From what we know of vikings history, that all sounds about right.
I'll give you the chieftain..They were usually known to be someone men wanted to follow, fight and die for.
But any dramatic story needs a villain. Hard to believe that the writers making the chieftain a villain is part of a secret agenda to "hate Europeans".
I thought it was kind of boring and did not seem to depict what I understand life was like at the time (people were too clean, well groomed and well dressed. Building interiors too nice. I do not think they are going for realism here, but if the are just going for drama it needs to move faster. I give a b-/C+ this week. Not sure whether i will watch it again. they showed the highlights of next weeks show and it did not look all that interesting. A lot of hype for a decent, but not really exciting show.
Oh, I'm with you! Notice how everybody has all their teeth and limbs despite all the sword bashing and hacking?
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Great Medieval Norse dentists!
