IMC 2024: Sessions
Session 213: Women in Medieval Germanic Crisis Narratives, II: Women and Crises in Saga Literature
Monday 1 July 2024, 14:15-15:45
| Organiser: | Juliane Witte, Philosophische Fakultät - Skandinavistik, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen |
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| Moderator/Chair: | Juliane Witte, Philosophische Fakultät - Skandinavistik, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen |
| Paper 213-a | Ethnic Histories and Memories of Emma (Language: English) Index terms: Gender Studies, Language and Literature - Scandinavian and Politics and Diplomacy |
| Paper 213-b | Crisis in the fornaldarsögur: Women Wanted? (Language: English) Index terms: Gender Studies, Language and Literature - Scandinavian and Women's Studies |
| Paper 213-c | A Crisis of Autonomy: Women in the Late Íslendingasögur (Language: English) Index terms: Gender Studies, Language and Literature - Scandinavian and Women's Studies |
| Abstract | This session explores the role of women in Old Norse crisis narratives across the Íslendingasögur, fornaldarsögur, and skaldic poetry. Through comparative analyses, the speakers will draw out how women were perceived and what roles they were able to play during crisis moments. Jay Paul Gates will consider the representation of Queen Emma in Old Norse-language sources, including saga narratives and skaldic poetry, and what they conveyed regarding her role. Hilkea Blomeyer will explore the role women played in the crises of the fornaldarsögur and will question whether a single motif can be discovered for how they were allowed to operate. Rebecca Merkelbach will analyse to what extent women had the autonomy to act freely during crisis moments in the ‘post-classical’ Íslendingasögur and whether these sagas provided "imaginative wiggle room". |