Medieval Children Research Paper

In today’s society children are considered to be precious gifts. Children are treasured but in the medieval period this was not usually so In the Middle Ages children had little worth and there were not many bonds between parent and child like in today’s world. Children were not worth much because survival was slim and they could not do things adults could Surviving to adulthood was a big deal in medieval times because many children died before reaching adolescence. This could be why children were not as treasure then as they are today. In any case, medieval children, specifically Viking children, were treated more like political chess pieces than actual human being. One example showing how children were viewed by the Vikings comes from the beginning of Saga of the Volsungs. In the third book of the saga a king named Siggeir asked King Volsung for “Signy’s hand in marriage” (Byock 38). Signy was King Volsungs only daughter and even though Signy did not want to marry Siggeir King Volsung betrothed the pair anyway. Signy’s betrothal to Siggier is a

Unlike his halfsiblings, Sinfjotli did not cry when his mother sewed his shirt to his arm, he even said that “’Such pain would be trifling to Volsung.’” (Byock 43). Sinfjotli also kneaded snakes into four without hesitation which only strengthened Signy’s view that Sinfjotli was to perfect child to avenge her family (Byock 43). These tests also proved Sinfjotli a man, or at least not just a child. As Sinfjotli was not a child he became more important and Sigmund became attached. When Sinfjotli died Sigmund was devastated and “his sorrow was almost his death” (Byock 51). As a child Sinfjotli only had value as a political tool but when he proved himself and became an adult bonds could be formed. This further supports the Vikings view of children being generally useless and of not much