Reading Beowulf in the eleventh century
Welcome!
At some point between 975 and 1025, somewhere in southern England, two men wrote a manuscript.
In it, they brought together the stories of Indian monsters, Greek warriors, a dog-headed saint, a murderous Jewish heroine, and a pagan Scandinavian hero.
This is our only record of the story of Beowulf.
During a period of intense conflict between English and Danes, often expressed as Christians against pagans; civilisation against barbarian hordes, this unusual compilation was clearly of significance to someone. But who used it, and how? What were medieval manuscripts for? And what does their compilation tell us about how narrative functions to shape communities and identities?
Based at UCL, I'm researching the history, politics, literary representations and artistic productions of the period to explore these questions. This site is seeking to share my explorations, confusions, and findings with you.
I'm always happy to be corrected, assisted, or asked for support so feel free to contact me in any forum.
