One of the first negative poems in "Egil's saga" is a threatening poem in chapter 27 that displays Skallagrim's power after he had just plundered a ship and killed many men. Later, in chapter 38, Skallagrim composes an insulting poem about King Eirik after the king had given Skallagrim a gift not commensurate with his worth. In chapters 55 and 81, Egil composes two powerful poems that show how grief-stricken he is when his brother Þórólfr and his son Böðvar (Bodvar) die. These poems are also meant to honor the two. These are only a few examples of the many poems in the saga which portray people in a positive or negative light.