Elves in Anglo-Saxon England - Matters of Belief, Health, Gender and Identity (Hardcover)

Elves and elf-belief during the Anglo-Saxon period are reassessed in this lively and provocative study. Anglo-Saxon elves [Old English aelfe] are one of the best attested non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholarship. Integrating linguistic and textual approaches into an anthropologically-inspired framework, this book reassesses the full range of evidence. It traces continuities and changes in medieval non-Christian beliefs with a new degree of reliability, from pre-conversion times to the eleventh century and beyond, and uses comparative material from medieval Ireland and Scandinavia to argue for a dynamic relationship between beliefs and society. Inparticular, it interprets the cultural significance of elves as a cause of illness in medical texts, and provides new insights into the much-discussed Scandinavian magic of seidr. Elf-beliefs, moreover, were connected withAnglo-Saxon constructions of sex and gender; their changing nature provides a rare insight into a fascinating area of early medieval European culture. Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2007 ALARIC HALL is a fellow of the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies.

General

Imprint:	The Boydell Press
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Anglo-Saxon Studies
Release date:	March 2007
First published:	2007
Authors:	Alaric Hall
Dimensions:	234 x 156 x 18mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover - Cloth over boards
Pages:	238
ISBN-13:	978-1-84383-294-2
Categories:	Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Myths & mythology Books > Humanities > History > World history > 500 to 1500 Books > Humanities > History > British & Irish history > General Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > Customs & folklore > Folklore Books > History > British & Irish history > General Books > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history Books > History > World history > 500 to 1500 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Myths & mythology
LSN:	1-84383-294-1
Barcode:	9781843832942

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