| Description |
1 online resource (viii, 127 pages.) |
| Series |
Past imperfect |
|
Past imperfect (ARC Humanities Press)
|
| Contents |
Introduction : fantasy or history? -- Poetry and archaeology -- Old legend, new reality -- The bigger picture -- The non-national epic |
| Summary |
Ever since Tolkien's famous lecture in 1936, it has been generally accepted that the poem Beowulf is a fantasy, and of no use as a witness to real history. This book challenges that view, and argues that the poem provides a plausible, detailed, and consistent vision of pre-Viking history which is most unlikely to have been the poet's invention, and which has moreover received strong corroboration from archaeology in recent years. Using the poem as a starting point, historical, archaeological, and legendary sources are combined to form a picture of events in the North in the fifth and sixth centuries: at once a Dark and a Heroic Age, and the time of the formation of nations. Among other things, this helps answer two long-unasked questions: why did the Vikings come as such a shock? And what caused the previous 250 years of security from raiders from the sea? |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references |
| Notes |
Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on September 28, 2022) |
| SUBJECT |
Beowulf. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79018834
|
|
Beowulf fast |
| Subject |
Literary studies: classical, early & medieval.
|
|
Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500.
|
|
Norse religion & mythology.
|
|
Archaeology by period / region.
|
|
LITERARY CRITICISM / Medieval
|
|
Civilization
|
| SUBJECT |
Scandinavia -- History -- To 1397.
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2003008080
|
|
Scandinavia -- Civilization -- History
|
| Subject |
Scandinavia
|
| Genre/Form |
History
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| Author |
Project Muse. distributor.
|
| ISBN |
1802700544 |
|
9781802700541 |
|
9781802700558 |
|
1802700552 |
|
