This thesis concerns itself with the role that Women played in Anglo Saxon society and mainly how their rights and responsibilities are represented in early law codes and how these changed over...Show moreThis thesis concerns itself with the role that Women played in Anglo Saxon society and mainly how their rights and responsibilities are represented in early law codes and how these changed over time. The main focus will be on differences between the law codes of Æthelread Aethelbert, Alfred and Ine and Cnut. Several articles have been written about the change of the legal status of women over the course of the Anglo-Saxon period. In light of these article I will analyse the Law Codes written by Aethelbert and his succesors as well as other legal documents from the Anglo-Saxon period to see if this is indeed the case.Show less
After a summary of Old English poetic techniques and the use of these in the Old English poems "Beowulf" and "Judith", this thesis will aim to determine how well these poetic techniques were used...Show moreAfter a summary of Old English poetic techniques and the use of these in the Old English poems "Beowulf" and "Judith", this thesis will aim to determine how well these poetic techniques were used by J.R.R. Tolkien in his long poems "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" and "The Fall of Arthur", in order to determine which of these poems was written (mostly) last.Show less
At the end of the twentieth century, George R. R. Martin rose to success with his fantasy. Martin’s series shares a similar setting to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but there is a...Show moreAt the end of the twentieth century, George R. R. Martin rose to success with his fantasy. Martin’s series shares a similar setting to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but there is a difference in Martin’s work compared to that of traditional medievalist fantasy authors. Martin himself has stated on multiple occasions that he, just like Tolkien had done, based the setting of his books on medieval Britain and Europe. The critical acclaim the series has received partly seems to stem from the fact that Martin’s characters appeal to a broad audience. Many major characters of the books are clearly derived from character types present in medieval literature, but Martin has added certain qualities to them which make these characters more human, instead of being the same stock figures that characters from medieval literature mostly are. I will be researching why Martin’s characters appeal to such a broad audience while being based on traditional medievalist character roles by doing close reading of the text. I will also look at Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur to research how much Martin has been influenced by character roles from medieval literature, and how these roles were perceived in their own time, also by doing close reading. To this purpose I will be looking into two character roles, that of the king and of the queen. I will look into the characters of King Arthur Pendragon and King Robert Baratheon in the first chapter, and Queen Guinevere and Queen Cersei Lannister in the second chapter.Show less
The Old English poem Wulf and Eadwacer is famous for its ambiguity, mystery, and difficulty of interpretation. According to Elaine Treharne, “it is one of the most challenging Old English poems to...Show moreThe Old English poem Wulf and Eadwacer is famous for its ambiguity, mystery, and difficulty of interpretation. According to Elaine Treharne, “it is one of the most challenging Old English poems to translate satisfactorily.” There are various ways to interpret and translate Wulf and Eadwacer, and many different translations have already been published. Throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, translators have tried their best to create translations of Wulf and Eadwacer that reflect their opinions, serve their purposes, and appeal to their particular audiences. John Adams believes Wulf and Eadwacer must be seen as a riddle, and has translated it as such, while others, like Treharne, consider the poem a woman’s song. The choices that translators make show how they interpret the poem, and the examination in this thesis will show what might have influenced the translators to create their particular translation, and how their choices and interpretations of Wulf and Eadwacer have influenced their translations.Show less
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings, where Duke William defeated King Harold. It is generally believed that the Bayeux Tapestry...Show moreThe Bayeux Tapestry depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings, where Duke William defeated King Harold. It is generally believed that the Bayeux Tapestry provides a biased account of the Conquest and has a pro-Norman view. This thesis will demonstrate how, despite the fact that the Tapestry is commissioned by a Norman patron, the Tapestry reveals a sympathetic attitude towards Harold, and that this is probably the influence of the English embroiderers. The Tapestry provides, in comparison with Norman, Anglo-Norman and English written sources, an unbiased account of the Conquest: neither pro-Norman nor pro-English. The influence of a Norman patron and English embroiderers is illustrated through certain scenes of Harold and William and the relationship between the main narrative and the commentary in the borders of the Tapestry.Show less
