A Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Studies

Reflecting the profound impact of critical theory on the study of the humanities, this collection of original essays examines the texts and artifacts of the Anglo-Saxon period through key theoretical terms such as ‘ethnicity’ and ‘gender’.

• Explores the interplay between critical theory and Anglo-Saxon studies
• Theoretical framework will appeal to specialist scholars as well as those new to the field
• Includes an afterword on the value of the dialogue between Anglo-Saxon studies and critical theory

List of Figures vii

Notes on Contributors ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1
Jacqueline Stodnick and Rene´e R. Trilling

1 Borders 9
Elaine Treharne

2 Disability 23
Christina Lee

3 Gender 39
Stacy S. Klein

4 Hegemony 55
Robin Norris

5 Historicism 69
Scott Thompson Smith

6 Law and Justice 85
Andrew Rabin

7 Literacy 99
R. M. Liuzza

8 Masculinity 115
D. M. Hadley

9 Media 133
Martin K. Foys

10 Postcolonial 149
Catherine E. Karkov

11 Race and Ethnicity 165
Stephen Harris

12 Sex and Sexuality 181
Carol Braun Pasternack

13 Space and Place 197
Andrew Scheil

14 Time 215
Kathleen Davis

15 Violence 235
Mary Louise Fellows

16 Visual Culture 251
Benjamin C. Withers

17 Women 265
Helene Scheck and Virginia Blanton

18 Writing 281
E. J. Christie

Index 295

“The essays are written in a consistently clear and informative manner that will engage students and scholars alike. Summing Up. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.” (Choice, 1 September 2013)

Jacqueline Stodnick is Associate Professor of English at the University of Texas at Arlington, USA, where she teaches the history of the English language, Old English, and the history of British literature. She has published articles on lists, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and hagiography, focusing in particular on English cultural identity. Her current work explores Anglo-Saxon notions of the body.

Renée R. Trilling is Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois, USA. She is the author of The Aesthetics of Nostalgia: Historical Representation in Old English Verse (2009), as well as articles on Beowulf, Wulfstan the Homilist, and Anglo-Saxon historiography. Her current work draws on recent trends in neuroscience and related fields to explore the role of materiality in Anglo-Saxon notions of subjectivity.

This collection of new and original essays explores the relationship between contemporary critical theory and the study of Anglo-Saxon England. Core terminology familiar from critical theory, such as ‘ethnicity’, ‘gender’, and ‘agency’, provides a thematic structure in which fresh and revealing perspectives on Anglo-Saxon England come to light. Each essay takes one of these terms as its starting point, offering a brief overview of the term and its use in Anglo-Saxon studies before deploying it as a critical matrix for its own investigation of the Anglo-Saxon period. The collection also explores the question of what contribution Anglo-Saxonists can make to critical theory, and provides new directions for the future of the field.

“Neither Modern Critical Theory nor Anglo-Saxon Studies is past its ‘best before’ date. The contributions to this book combine authoritative knowledge of many aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture with a diversity of interpretative perspectives. Meticulous analysis of the material within a framework of concentrated, reflective approaches continues to generate stimulating new insights and appreciation.”—John Hines, Cardiff University