Graduate Program
English
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Semester of Degree Completion
2011
Thesis Director
Timothy Shonk
Thesis Committee Member
David Raybin
Thesis Committee Member
Julie Campbell
Abstract
Concentration in Literary Studies
The thesis focuses on violence reinterpreted through the Anglo-Saxon charms that exhibit a fusion of Christian and pagan elements. In order to comprehend the impact of this fusion, I provide ecclesiastical and social histories of the Anglo-Saxons, stressing upon the interconnectedness of both-an essential concept in understanding the AngloSaxon view of the world. This interconnectedness is seen in the Anglo-Saxon perception of magic, which in their understanding was synonymous to science or religion. I provide a brief introduction on magical practices and beliefs that applied to the charms, shedding light on how they were expected to work. In the third chapter of the thesis, I include seven Old English charms of my own translation, categorizing them into three groups: 1.Channs that require violent acts for their efficacy; 2. Charms that remedy a violent act; 3. Charms that protect against violence. I analyze each of the charms, providing a Christian and pagan understanding for each one. Each section concludes with a statement about how violence was reinterpreted in the charms. Based on the chronology of the manuscripts in which the charms were found, I argue that the charms increasingly become more prayer-like, moving from being pagan chants superimposed with Christian references to incantations more like prayers.
Recommended Citation
Gallardo, Laurajan G., "Violence, Christianity, And The Anglo-Saxon Charms" (2011). Masters Theses. 293.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/293
