Burial Rites: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

Chapter Two begins with an entry from the Undirfell Ministerial Book, stating where Agnes was born, at what age she was confirmed, and proclaiming that she had an excellent intellect and knowledge of Christianity.

The narrative then returns to Agnes’s first person perspective as she describes her transfer to Kornsá. An officer of the court takes Agnes out of her wretched storeroom into the yard, where it is raining. Agnes thinks that, after months in prison, she must look like a monster. She gasps at the fresh air and falls to her knees. One of the men guarding Agnes reaches down and roughly pulls her to her feet.

Agnes notices that a crowd has gathered to look at her, and she thinks about how the crowd is not actually seeing her, but rather seeing the crime she represents. Agnes sees Rósa watching at a distance, and Agnes smiles. This makes the crowd furious, and people begin to yell at her. Then they all leave to continue their chores, including Rósa.

Agnes and her guards begin their journey across the Icelandic landscape to Kornsá. Agnes is happy to return to the part of Iceland that she knows so well, but she knows she is going there to die and wonders how she will be executed. Despite the flies, Agnes is happy to be outside. Agnes hears the ocean and thinks about how Natan once told her that, “like a woman… the sea is a nag” while they were out boating.

Agnes hears the caws of ravens and thinks that, although they are cruel birds, they are smart. Ravens are supposed to predict death, and Agnes thinks of how she once watched a raven jerk its beak toward a farm where a boy later drowned. Agnes also remembers hearing a raven shriek with Sigga one night. She wonders where Sigga is now, and why they keep Sigga away from her.

A man rides up next to Agnes and tells her that she is going to be held at Kornsá until her execution. He tells her to stop scowling, and then rides past her. Agnes thinks that she is being held at Kornsá to humiliate her, since everyone there will remember her as an innocent child, and seeing her now as a prisoner will ruin their image of her.

The narrative changes back to third-person to describe Tóti standing in the doorway with Margrét, watching the group of riders arrive with Agnes. Tóti asks if Lauga and Steina will join them. Margrét reiterates how much she does not want to host Agnes. When Tóti tells her that they must “all do [their] duty,” Margrét reminds him that, as a man, he does not have to worry about the danger Agnes poses as much as Margrét and her daughters do. She hopes an officer will stay with them to protect them.

Margrét points out a flock of ravens to Tóti and asks if he is a man of tradition. Tóti responds yes, but only if they are Christian traditions. Margrét tells Tóti that the name for a flock of ravens is a “conspiracy,” and Tóti responds that he thought it was called an “unkindness.”

A rider reaches the edge of the homestead, dismounts, and greets Margrét and Tóti. He tells Margrét that Agnes will not cause any trouble, and they will stay there that night to make sure of it. Tóti asks where Agnes is, and the rider points to her before adding that Sigga, the other convicted woman, has had her case appealed because people think that, unlike Agnes, she is “too young and sweet to die.” According to the man, Blöndal supports Sigga’s appeal but not Agnes’s. Tóti asks what he should call the prisoner, and the man says “just Agnes.”

The narrative returns to Agnes’s first person perspective as she describes watching her accompanying officer talk with the people at the Kornsá homestead. Agnes has not eaten or drank all day, and she is “no longer a woman” because she is so malnourished that she no longer gets her period. Tóti approaches Agnes and introduces himself. Agnes seems to recognize him, but Tóti does not recognize her. Agnes says nothing and picks at her scabs when Tóti tries to talk to her. Finally Tóti says goodbye, then bows and walks away. Agnes, now alone, watches the ravens.

The narrative returns to the third-person as Margrét cleans up from dinner while Lauga and Steina sleep. The house at Kornsá has begun to decay, causing dangerous mold that gives the residents lung problems. Margrét’s persistent, worsening cough worries her. One of the officers goes to fetch Agnes from where she is tied up, and Margrét, who has not yet really met Agnes, is nervous. When the officer enters with Agnes, Margrét is shocked by how filthy and battered she is. Margrét expresses her discontent that Agnes has clearly been beaten, and asks for Agnes’s handcuffs to be taken off.

Margrét sends the guard away and steers Agnes into the kitchen, where she tells Agnes to take off her dirty clothes and wash in the water of a large kettle that Margrét takes off the fire. Agnes drops to the ground and begins drinking the greasy kettle water with her hands. Margrét pushes her away from it and, as Agnes cowers, Margrét tells her to ask for a cup next time.

The narrative then jumps to Tóti, who arrives back at his father’s house on horseback. After taking care of his horse, Tóti walks to the church and reflects on his meeting with Agnes. He remembers how dirty, beaten, and sick she looked, and berates himself for wanting to flee from the sight of her since, as a priest, he should be able to stand the sight of suffering. Tóti arrives at the church and lets himself in. He gazes at the mural of the Last Supper painted behind the altar. Tóti thinks the mural is ugly and remembers how, after the former mural faded, his father commissioned this ugly, cheap one. Tóti sinks to his knees and prays for guidance in helping Agnes. He stays there for a long time before going to put his horse to stable.

The narrative switches back to following Margrét, who wakes early to the snoring of the officer who was supposed to stay awake and protect them. Margrét looks over at where Agnes is sleeping and silently mouths her name, thinking it feels wrong to call her by “a Christian name.” Margrét thinks about how the only murderesses she has ever encountered were in the Icelandic sagas. However, Margrét thinks, those women verbally ordered murders but did not commit them themselves.

Margrét, still in bed, thinks of her former servants, imagining them killing her like Agnes killed Natan. She thinks of Lauga’s belief that murderers have outward marks of evil (harelips, snaggleteeth, etc.). She also thinks of the rumors that Agnes caused Natan to end his affair with the beautiful, talented Rósa. Margrét notes that while Agnes’s dark hair is striking, she is not especially beautiful.

Margrét thinks of how dirty Agnes’s body looked as she had helped her wash the previous night. Despite herself, Margrét had looked for marks like the one Lauga insisted would be present. Margrét was shocked by how badly Agnes had been abused. When Agnes’s wounds bled, Margrét put ointment on them, and told Agnes that Natan had made the medicine. Agnes did not respond. When Agnes was washed, Margrét gave her clothes and bedding.

Margrét’s thoughts dissipate and she looks around the badstofa at everyone else sleeping. The officer is still snoring, to Margrét’s amusement and annoyance. Margrét gets up to prepare breakfast, and as she does she glances at Agnes again. Agnes, to Margrét’s surprise, is staring at her.