Monsters, Mead-Halls, and Memory - Beowulf and the Making of Historical Meaning from Iron Age Myth to Modern Fantasy

The course enables students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the early medieval heroic epic Beowulf and the multifaceted processes of meaning-making that the work has undergone from its creation to the present day. By combining historical, religious and popular cultural perspectives, the epic is studied as a literary, cultural and ideological phenomenon whose significance has changed over time. Emphasis is placed on how traditional narratives concerning the themes and morals in Beowulf both reflect and reshape pre-Christian beliefs within a Christian value system and within the context of medieval manuscript culture, as well as how this tension continues to influence interpretations of the work. Furthermore, the course deals with how Beowulf has been revitalised, appropriated and reinterpreted in various political, cultural, religious and aesthetic contexts in the post-medieval era, from nineteenth-century national romanticism to twenty-first-century fantasy culture. Through a focus on popular culture, the course discusses the epic’s significance for modern fantastic literature and especially the fantasy genre, as well as how contemporary media (film, literature, games) have shaped new versions of the heroic narrative. The course also explores the question of the epic’s contemporary relevance: how an early medieval heroic epic can still be relevant in a modern globalised world, and what functions it fulfils in today’s cultural and social landscape.

Syllabus autumn 2027

Earlier syllabuses

Syllabus with literature list autumn 2027

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