I love Rannveig's line to Gunnar's killers.

It took me a couple readings to put together that Hallgerd stole cheese because it was a famine, and Gunnar had already given their food away, and ... it's still reprehensible, but the thing I finally realized? She sucked at household management with her first husband--that's why he ran out of fish--and sort of knew it, because she declined to manage her second husband's household.

Then she marries Gunnar. I figure (from her point of view) she figured she had this whole household management thing figured out--and then a freaking famine hit. And her overgenerous husband gave away their provisions--and then the guy they asked for help decided, just because Gunnar was generous to others didn't mean he would be generous as well.

Which just shows you where generosity gets you. So she steals the cheese. (And, if I remember right, burns down the dairy after. Yeah.)

Not exactly un-reprehensible actions. But I can sort of see how it happened now.