MATERIAL LITERATURE IN ANGLO-SAXON POETRY by - Scholars

218 Pages·2010·2.61 MB·English

MATERIAL LITERATURE IN ANGLO-SAXON POETRY
by
LAYLA A. OLIN SCHUBERT
A DISSERTATION
Presented to the Department ofEnglish
and the Graduate School ofthe University ofOregon
inpartial fulfillment ofthe requirements
for the degree of
Doctor ofPhilosophy
June 2010
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University ofOregon Graduate School
Confirmation ofApproval and Acceptance ofDissertation prepared by:
Layla Schubert
Title:
"Material Literature inAnglo-Saxon Poetry"
This dissertationhas been accepted and approved inpartial fulfillment ofthe requirements for
the Doctor ofPhilosophy degree inthe Department ofEnglish by:
MarthaBayless, Chairperson, English
James Earl, Member, English
Daniel Wojcik, Member, English
AlettaBiersack, Outside Member, Anthropology
and Richard Linton, Vice Presidentfor Research and Graduate Studies/Dean ofthe Graduate
School for the University ofOregon.
June 14,2010
Original approval signatures are onfile withthe Graduate School andthe University ofOregon
Libraries.
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© 2010 LaylaA. Olin Schubert
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An Abstract ofthe Dissertation of
Layla Olin Schubert for the degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy
in the Department ofEnglish to be taken March 2010
Title: MATERIAL LITERATURE IN ANGLO-SAXON POETRY
Approved:
MarthaBayless
The scattered instances depicting material literature in Anglo-Saxon poetry should
be regarded as a group. This phenomenon occurs inBeowulf, The Dream ofthe Rood,
and The Husband's Message. Comparative examples ofmaterial literature can be found
onthe Ruthwell Cross and the Franks Casket. This study examines material literature in
these three poems, comparing their depictions ofmaterial literature to actual examples.
Poems depicting material literature bring the relationship between man and object
into dramatic play, using the object's point ofview to bearwitness to the truth ofdistant
or intensely personal events. Material literature is depicted in a love poem, The
Husband's Message, when a prosopopoeic runestick vouches for the sincerity ofits
master, in the heroic epic Beowu(fwhen an ancient, inscribed sword isthe impetus to
give an account ofthe biblical flood, and is also implied in the devotional poem The
Dream ofthe Rood, as two crosses both pre-and-post dating the poem bear texts similar
to portions ofthe poem.
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The study concludesby examiningthe relationship betweenmaterial anxiety and
the character ofWeIand inBeowulf, Deor, Alfred's Consolation ofPhilosophy, and
Waldere A & B. Concernwith materiality in Anglo-Saxon poetry manifests in myriad
ways: prosopopoeic riddles, bothheroic and devotional passages directly assailing the
value ofthe material, personification of0bjects, and indepictions ofmaterial literature.
This concernmanifests as a material anxiety. WeIand tames the material and twists and
shapes it, re-affirming the supremacy ofmankind in a material world.
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CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: LaylaA. Olin Schubert
PLACE OF BIRTH: Champaign, Illinois
DATE OF BIRTH: February 6,1975
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University ofOregon, Eugene
University ofIllinois at Champaign-Urbana
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
DEGREES AWARDED:
Doctor ofPhilosophy, English Literature, 2010, University ofOregon
Master ofScience, Library and Informations Science, 2007, University ofIllinois
at Champaign-Urbana
Bachelor ofArts, English Literature, 1997, Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Medieval Literature
Material Culture Studies
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Graduate teaching fellow, Department ofEnglish, University ofOregon, Eugene,
2002-2009
Graduate teaching fellow, Reference Department, Knight Library, University of
Oregon, 2005-2007
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GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS:
Distinction, Ph.D. Oral Exam: "Kinship, Craftsmanship, Suffering, and
Vengeance: Welandes Geweorc in Anglo-Saxon England," 2005
Graduate Teaching Fellowship, University ofOregon, 2002-2009
Nominated for Sarah Harkness Kirby Essay Prize, 2002, 2004
PUBLICATIONS:
Olin, Layla. "Song for Aris." Grassroots: Southern Illinois University
Undergraduate LiteraryJournal. 1998.
Olin, Layla. Various poems. Grassroots: Southern Illinois University
Undergraduate LiteraryJournal. 1997.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to express sincere appreciation to Professors Martha Bayless and James
Earl for theirpatience and wisdom while assisting in the preparation ofthis manuscript.
In addition, special thanks are due to Mr. Michael Stamm, whose familiarity with the
procedural processes required by the EnglishDepartment was helpful throughout this
undertaking. Professors AlettaBiersack and Daniel Wojcik have greatly broadenedthe
scope ofthis work by providing cross-disciplinary perspectives. I also thank Professor
Karen Ford for her valuable introductionto the professional standards for researching
English literature. Finally, I would also like to thank Erik, Madrona, River, and Ellen for
their understanding and patience throughout the process ofcompletingthis project.
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For Rowan
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION: MATERIAL LITERATURE IN ANGLO-SAXON
POETRY 1
II. GIFHE PIN BENEAH: DESIRE AND THE OBJECT IN THE HUSBAND'S
MESSAGE................................................................................................................... 24
III. ICPAiTEALL BEHEOLD: THE CROSS AS WITNESS IN THE DREAMOF
THE ROOD................................................................................................................. 78
IV. ONDAiMWAiS OR WRITEN: THE SWORD AS STORYTELLER IN
BEOWULF..... 127
V. CONTROLLING THE UNTAMED OBJECT: WELANDES GEWEORC IN
AJ'JGLO-SAXON ENGLAND. 176
BIBLIOGRAPHY... 199