View Single Post
Old March 4th, 2013 #11
varg
...
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,744
Default

So far no nigs or overt jewish propaganda. I like it.

The only scene I disliked was where they show the nose-blowing in a communal water bowl. They showed the same thing in the movie 13th Warrior. I believe that account comes from Ahmed ibn Fadlan, which I think was exaggerated and biased.

Quote:
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ibn_fdln.shtml

§ 84. Every day they must wash their faces and heads and this they do in the dirtiest and filthiest fashion possible: to wit, every morning a girl servant brings a great basin of water; she offers this to her master and he washes his hands and face and his hair -- he washes it and combs it out with a comb in the water; then he blows his nose and spits into the basin. When he has finished, the servant carries the basin to the next person, who does likewise. She carries the basin thus to all the household in turn, and each blows his nose, spits, and washes his face and hair in it.

Note: Ibn Fadlan's main source of disgust with the Rus bathing customs have to do with his Islamic faith, which requires a pious Mohammedan to wash only in running water or water poured from a container so that the rinsings do not again touch the bather. The sagas often describe a woman washing a man's hair for him, often as a gesture of affection. It would be likely that the basin was actually emptied between each bath: Ibn Fadlan would still have felt the basin contaminated by previous use. It does seem here that Ibn Fadlan may be exaggerating a bit for effect.
Oh and Ragnar saves the Monk from being killed. I don't know where they're going with that. Hopefully they don't make him into a character we're supposed to feel sympathy for, or that he teaches them important lessons from his Babble. They did portray the monks as effeminate weaklings though, so I hope they don't try to redeem him.

Last edited by varg; March 4th, 2013 at 11:04 AM. Reason: .