PhD project How is ”the Other” conceptualised, constructed, and understood in medieval Icelandic texts? This project examines Otherness in the sagas and tales of Icelanders, focusing on linguistic and cultural identity markers.
This project investigates how Otherness – the perception of ”the Other” – is constructed and understood in medieval Icelandic sagas and tales. By analysing linguistic and cultural identity markers from literary and linguistic perspectives, the project explores different nuances of everyday Otherness. The studies show that Otherness is complex, fluid, and changes depending on the context of the narratives, offering insights into medieval Iceland’s social norms.
The sagas of Icelanders and the associated shorter tales, known as 'þættir', depict the first settlement of Iceland in the late 9th century and follow the history of families until Iceland adopted Christianity around the year 1000. However, the sagas and tales were written at least 200 years later by Christian authors who, in doing so, explored and renegotiated their history. This makes the sagas and tales intriguing sources to analyse in order to examine how identity, and thus also 'the Other' – those perceived as different – is constructed and portrayed. In five sub-studies, this project examines 'the Other' by analysing character descriptions, personal names, and adjectives used to describe individuals who break social norms. The sub-studies show that Otherness in the sagas and tales of Icelanders is not just a static or negative construct, but a complex part of everyday life with many nuances and facets. Above all, the results show that Otherness is not only defined by external factors but is also something fluid that can change within the narrative itself. Another key aspect highlighted by the studies is how identity markers, such as personal names or adjectives used to describe characters, are used to create a shared identity and challenge social norms.
