Challenging Dualisms: Historicizing Old English Psychologies, Anthropologies, and Theologies
Sponsoring Organization(s)
Special Session
Organizer Name
Karl A. E. Persson
Organizer Affiliation
Univ. of British Columbia
Presider Name
Emily Ransom
Presider Affiliation
Univ. of Notre Dame
Paper Title 1
"Eall Is Earfoðlic"? The Wanderer, The Gifts of Men, and the Problem of the Solomonic Contemptus Mundi Tradition
Presenter 1 Name
Karl A. E. Persson
Paper Title 2
Vercelli Homily IV: A Homiletic Corrective to the Body and Soul Tradition
Presenter 2 Name
Jacob Riyeff
Presenter 2 Affiliation
Univ. of Notre Dame
Paper Title 3
Body, Soul, and Similitude in Vercelli Homily IV
Presenter 3 Name
Daniel Anlezark
Presenter 3 Affiliation
Univ. of Sydney
Start Date
12-5-2013 8:30 AM
Session Location
Bernhard 106
Description
In her recent book, Anglo-Saxon Psychologies in the Vernacular and Latin Traditions, Leslie Lockett argues that critics have in many cases interpreted Anglo-Saxon poetries and cultures in terms of a modern Western dualism rather than the psychologies and anthropologies available to Anglo-Saxon readers and writers. Lockett does an admirable job of demonstrating the complicated web of psychologies and anthropologies that must be taken into account when interpreting Old English literature and culture. However, since the primary purpose of her book is outlining these complications, Lockett is only able to explore cursorily those spaces in critical discourse most damaged by anachronistic dualisms; similarly, the scope of her book does not give her space to consider the radical impact that her study will have on these critical spaces. In the spirit of Lockett’s challenge to the anachronistic imposition of modern Western dualism on Old English culture, this panel invites papers that identify clusters of criticism (i. e. on aspects of Old English literature and culture) where such dualism has been particularly influential, and to then consider what a more historically sensitive approach to these areas might look like.
Issues addressed in this panel may include, but are not limited to:
Particular poems or other cultural artifacts that are often misread (either critically or popularly) in terms of Cartesian dualism.
The implications of recent work (such as that of Lockett, Harbus, Low etc.) on interpretations of broader Anglo-Saxon culture and literature.
The intersections of Anglo-Saxon theology, anthropology, and psychology, and the difficulty of interpreting these intersections in a (post) secular age.
Varying forms of dualism, including mind/body dualism, spiritual/material dualism, moral dualism etc.
Karl A. E. Persson
Challenging Dualisms: Historicizing Old English Psychologies, Anthropologies, and Theologies
Bernhard 106
In her recent book, Anglo-Saxon Psychologies in the Vernacular and Latin Traditions, Leslie Lockett argues that critics have in many cases interpreted Anglo-Saxon poetries and cultures in terms of a modern Western dualism rather than the psychologies and anthropologies available to Anglo-Saxon readers and writers. Lockett does an admirable job of demonstrating the complicated web of psychologies and anthropologies that must be taken into account when interpreting Old English literature and culture. However, since the primary purpose of her book is outlining these complications, Lockett is only able to explore cursorily those spaces in critical discourse most damaged by anachronistic dualisms; similarly, the scope of her book does not give her space to consider the radical impact that her study will have on these critical spaces. In the spirit of Lockett’s challenge to the anachronistic imposition of modern Western dualism on Old English culture, this panel invites papers that identify clusters of criticism (i. e. on aspects of Old English literature and culture) where such dualism has been particularly influential, and to then consider what a more historically sensitive approach to these areas might look like.
Issues addressed in this panel may include, but are not limited to:
Particular poems or other cultural artifacts that are often misread (either critically or popularly) in terms of Cartesian dualism.
The implications of recent work (such as that of Lockett, Harbus, Low etc.) on interpretations of broader Anglo-Saxon culture and literature.
The intersections of Anglo-Saxon theology, anthropology, and psychology, and the difficulty of interpreting these intersections in a (post) secular age.
Varying forms of dualism, including mind/body dualism, spiritual/material dualism, moral dualism etc.
Karl A. E. Persson