Through the Eyes of the 13th Warrior

Dateline: 09/27/99

As a film buff and a history fanatic, I approach historical films with a simple philosophy: I expect them to be riddled with inaccuracies. Thus, I'm seldom disappointed, and occasionally I'm pleasantly surprised. I wasn't disappointed by Michael Crichton's The 13th Warrior, but alas, there were few surprises here. As an action-adventure it was fun; as a representation of 10th-century Scandinavia, it left something to be desired.

If you have yet to see this adventure, be warned: the blood and carnage are extreme. The film is rated R for violence and it is something parents should take to heart; children--indeed, anyone with a weak stomach--should not see this movie. In its defense, the violence is there for a purpose: to see the atrocities committed by the mysterious invaders is to hate and fear them immediately. Even so, some might consider the gore to be taken too far. There is at least one graphic decapitation . . . without the use of a sword.

Keep in mind that the title of Crichton's book was Eaters of the Dead, and you'll get a good idea of the horrors the film has in store for you.

For all that, I can still recommend The 13th Warrior as a gripping, heart-pounding adventure. I can also hope that seeing it will prompt viewers to learn more about Scandinavian culture during the Viking age, the Beowulf poem, and the Arab chronicler portrayed in the film.

The character played by Antonio Banderas is based on an actual historical figure, Ahmed Ibn Fadlan. In the early 10th century, the real Ibn Fadlan was sent as an ambassador from Baghdad to the King of the Bulgars, and in this capacity he encountered the Scandinavian Rus as traders. Ibn Fadlan wrote a chronicle, The Risala, in which he recorded his experiences as ambassador and included an extensive description of the physical attributes and cultural makeup of the Rus. Some of the customs ascribed to the Rus in The Risala were used in the depiction of the Scandinavians in The 13th Warrior.

As an educated member of a civilized society, Ibn Fadlan serves as the audience's window to an alien culture. It is through his eyes that we see and react to traditions we find primitive, harsh, or even downright revolting. However, it's not always possible to take the details recorded in The Risala as fact; they are colored by Ibn Fadlan's background and may even have been exaggerated to impress his intended audience. The cinematic device is effective, but the onscreen result is at best a skewed version of events.

The adventure that takes place in the film is not part of The Risala; rather, it is a product of Chricton's fertile imagination, unmistakably influenced by the Beowulf saga. Those of you familiar with the Old English poem will recognize certain elements, beginning with the warrior-chief hearing of the danger that threatens a nearby king and assembling a group of brave fighters to travel there and face it with him. There is a besieged hall, an underwater cavern, and even a "mother" to kill. However, instead of dealing with a pair of ogres, Buliwyf and his hardy band must defeat a huge number of primitive creatures similar to the Morlocks of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells.

The film has both historical and cinematic shortcomings, but there are compensations. The ships are largely realistic reproductions, and the all-too-brief voyage through the storm is dizzying. Most of the weapons are accurate (the notable exception being what Fadlan does to a perfectly good Viking sword). The "fire snake" has a clever explanation that is nicely realized. There's also stunning scenery captured in tight cinematography, heart-stopping battles, and a horrifying descent into the enemy's lair that will leave you breathless.

So enjoy The 13th Warrior. Then discover the real world of the 10th century here on the web.

What do you think? Come to the Medieval History forum and post your opinion on The 13th Warrior or any other film concerning the middle ages in our thread on Favorite Medieval Movies.

Links of Interest

The Viking Answer Lady on The 13th Warrior
"Gunnora Hallakarva" (a.k.a. Christie Ward) provides a translation of the portion of The Risala that covers the Rus, and follows it up with FAQs about Crichton's book and the film. Don't miss her enlightening info on the film's innaccuracies and the way things really were in Scandinavian society.

Scientific American: The Viking Longship
Extensively hyperlinked article by John R. Hale covers the evolution of the Viking longship in detail, accompanied by maps, illustrations and archaeological info.

Secondary Sources for Medieval Scandinavia
Substantial article by Tamsin Hekala at the Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies explores various academic aspects of study as well as including information for further research.

Banderas Becomes The 13th Warrior
J. Sperling Reich, About.com's Hollywood Movies Guide, gives you background and general info on the making of the film.

Viking and Scandinavian History
A collection of links involving runes, runestones, sagas, and general sites covering Scandinavian history and the Vikings, compiled by your Guide.

Beowulf
Links to bibliographies, online editions, and various intriguing sites concerned with the Old English masterwork, compiled by your Guide.

Suggested Reading

The links below will take you to Borders.com, where you can purchase the books online. Borders is solely responsible for fulfilling orders placed through these links.

Eaters of the Dead
by Michael Crichton
The novel on which The 13th Warrior was based, now re-released in paperback with a new cover evocative of the film. Includes graphic sex and violence. An abridged version is available in audiocassette.

Cultural Atlas of the Viking World
edited by James Graham-Campbell
Very nicely-produced work covering Scandinavian history, culture, mythology, art and literature from the origins of the Scandinavian peoples in the Iron Age to the Norman Conquest.

For recommended print versions of Beowulf, please see the feature Why Bother with Beowulf? by your Guide. 

 

The sword graphics are based on Viking swords and were created by your Guide. If you would like to download a graphic, right-click on the image and select "save this image as..." from the pop-up menu. If you would like to use any of them on your web page, please include a link back to this site.

For more free graphics, see Medieval Clip Art and Medieval Clip Art Castles.

Through the Eyes of the 13th Warrior is copyright © 1999 Melissa Snell and About.com. Permission is granted to reproduce this article for personal or classroom use only, provided that the URL below is included. For reprint permission, please contact Melissa Snell.

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