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

Anglo-Saxon elves (Old English ?lfe) 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non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholarship.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. In particular, 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 with Anglo-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. Elves and elf-belief during the Anglo-Saxon period are reassessed in this lively and provocative study.Anglo-Saxon elves [Old English ælfe] 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non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe, but current interpretations of the evidence derive directly from outdated nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholarship.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. Elves and elf-belief during the Anglo-Saxon period are reassessed in this lively and provocative study. Anglo-Saxon elves [Old English lfe] 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. "Anglo-Saxon elves (Old English alfe) are one of the best attested non-Christian beliefs in early medieval Europe. Current interpretations of the evidence, however, 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 relating to elves. With a new degree of reliability, it traces continuities and changes in medieval non-Christian beliefs, 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"--Jacket CONTENTS ......Page 8 FOREWORD......Page 10 ABBREVIATIONS ......Page 12 INTRODUCTION ......Page 14 1. A Medieval Scandinavian Context......Page 34 2. The Earliest Anglo-Saxon Evidence......Page 67 3. Female Elves and Beautiful Elves......Page 88 4. Ælfe, Illness and Healing (1): The 'Elf-Shot' Conspiracy......Page 109 5. Ælfe, Illness and Healing (2): Ælfsīden......Page 132 6. Anglo-Saxon Myth and Gender......Page 170 7. Believing in Early-Medieval History......Page 180 APPENDIX 1: The Linguistic History of Elf......Page 189 APPENDIX 2: Two Non-Elves......Page 195 WORKS CITED ......Page 198 INDEX ......Page 234