In the day of Thorstein and his contentious relationship with Thord, the sense of competition they both faced in their community was commonplace. They were both in similar horse businesses. Their respective personalities, however, could not be further apart. Thord was known as an arrogant man, while Thorstein was more quiet and calm of temper.

In what today would probably be described as a sheriff, Bjarni was the community chieftan. One of his servants was Thord, who was known to be a braggart about his prestigious position in working for Bjarni.

Even in the Middles Ages, when Thorstein the Staff-Struck is set, as today, human traits in society such as jealousy, gossip, revenge, pride and competition are universal. So are the human traits of family dysfunction, ridicule, trickery. When reading this Medieval story with the …show more content…
Thorstein lives with and is in business with his elderly, cantankerous father Thorarin. These two men as well couldn't be further apart in temperament. Thorarin goads and ridicules his son Thorstein, for his even-temperedness and calm demeanor. Sure enough, at one point Thorstein and Thord do have a physical confrontation, which Thorstein is reluctant for his father Thorarin to be made aware of, as he realizes how his pugnacious father will most likely react. Sure enough, his father reacts true to form, goading and ridiculing his son by asking him if had been “beaten senseless like a dog”, and accuses him of being a coward. If Thorstein was able to mature to adulthood with healthy self-esteem intact with a father like that, it would have been a miracle in itself. Thorarin exemplifies many a