Divorce was not uncommon, and a wife could initiate proceedings as well as a husband. She could cite a variety of reasons, including simple dissatisfaction, all strongly in her favour. In the Saga of Burnt Njál, a woman leaves her husband due to his impotence, which was regarded as formal cause. In the Saga of Gísli, a woman threatens divorce when her husband objects to her adultery. Extreme poverty—the fault of the husband because he did not support his family—was also sufficient grounds. Violence within a marriage was a significant feature of divorce petitions, although the severity of the
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