Anine Olsen Englund

anine englund
DPhil Candidate
Balliol College
anine.englund@balliol.ox.ac.uk

Supervisor: Professor Francis Leneghan

Thesis title: "A Reconsideration of the Theological and Literary Contexts of the Old English Soul and Body poem"

 

Research interests: Old English literature; Beowulf; Characterisation of Judgement Day in Old English poetry; Soul and Body relationships; Germanic heroic culture and literature; Old Norse-Icelandic literature; Medievalism; J. R. R. Tolkien

 

Thesis: My thesis examines the relationship between souls and bodies after death in the Old English textual corpus. The main text is the Old English poem Soul and Body (extant in both the Vercelli Book and Exeter Book), through which I study its content and moving themes as part of a wider Old English soul-and-body tradition, but also Old English poetics, religious doctrine, and learning. 

 

Teaching: I have taught Old English language, as well as a wide range of Old English texts across the poetic and prose corpus, both as seminar classes and personal tutorials.   

  • Guest tutor. Prelims Paper 2 (Early Medieval Literature, c. 650–1350). St Hugh's College, Oxford. HT-TT 2026.
  • Tutor. FHS Course II, Paper 4 (History of the English Language). Faculty of English, Oxford. HT 2026.
  • Bachelor Dissertation Supervisor. FHS Paper 7 (Dissertation). Merton College, Oxford. MT 2025–HT 2026.
  • Tutor. FHS Course II, Paper I (Literature in English, 650-1100). Worcester College, Somerville College, Oxford. MT 2025.
  • Tutor. Prelims Paper 2 (Early Medieval Literature, c. 650–1350). Worcester College, Oxford. 2025/26. Year-long course.
  • Personal Tutor for Visiting Student. Prelims Paper 2 (Early Medieval Literature, c. 650–1350). Mansfield College, Oxford. HT 2025.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant. FHS Paper 6 (Fairytales, Folklore and Fantasy). Keble College, Oxford. MT 2024. 

 

Publications:

  • Peer reviewed:
    • 2026.  ‘The Trickster’s Gospel: Intertextuality and Metatextuality in Joanne Harris’ The Gospel of Loki (2014)’ [Accepted for publication. Forthcoming autumn 2026]

  • Book reviews:

    • 2026.  Review: Tiffany Beechy, Aesthetics and the Incarnation in Early Medieval Britain: Materiality and the Flesh of the Word. In Journal of Medieval Religious Cultures 52: 115–18

    • 2024.  Review: Richard Z. Gallant, Germanic Heroes, Courage, and Fate: Northern Narratives of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Legendarium. In Journal of Inkling Studies 14: 225–28
    • 2022.  Review: Michael Fox, Following the Formula in Beowulf, Örvar-Odds Saga, and Tolkien. In Journal of Inkling Studies 12: 271–73
  • Other:

 

Talks given by invitation:

  • 2026.  ‘Ghosts, Roasts, and the Speaking Dead: Grappling with the Popularity of the Old English Soul and Body’ (20 min), MERS (Medieval English Research Seminar). University of Oxford, Oxford, 20th May 2026.
  • 2026.  ‘Tolkien the Parodist: Revisiting Songs for the Philologists’ (45 min), Oxford Tolkien Network. University of Oxford, Oxford, 14th May 2026.
  • 2024. '"In the Halls of Mandos": Death, Deathlessness, and Inter-racial Relations in Beren and Lúthien', Oxford Tolkien Network. University of Oxford, 8th March 2024. See lecture online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y6RHaLHqUw 

 

Conference papers given:

  • 2026.  'Revisiting the Old English Soul-and-Body Homilies’ (20 min), New Directions in Old English Prose. University of Oxford, Oxford, March 2026. 
  • 2025.  ‘The Disobeying Body: Grendel and the Patristics on the Body’ (20 min), XXXV International Conference of SELIM. University of Málaga, Málaga, September 2025.
  • 2025.  ‘Three Hundred Winters: The Numerological Significance of 300 in Beowulf and Soul and Body’ (20 min), IMC (International Medieval Congress) 2025. University of Leeds, Leeds, July 2025.
  • 2025.  ‘Souls and Bodies in Monastic Communities: Re-situating the Old English Soul and Body within the Exeter Book’ (20 min), 22nd ISSEME conference. University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, July 2025.
  • 2024.  ‘The “Journey of the Soul” Motif in Old English Poetry: A Comparative Study’ (20 min), XXXIV International Conference of SELIM. University of Granada, Granada, September 2024.
  • 2024.  ‘Völuspá and "The Prophecy of the Oracle": Inter-textuality and Meta-textuality in The Gospel of Loki (2014)’ (20 min), The Middle Ages in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Relevance, Reimagination, Inspiration. University of Stavanger, Stavanger, August 2024.
  • 2024.  ‘The Crisis of the Soul: Preparing for Judgement Day in Old English Eschatological Poetry’ (20 min), IMC (International Medieval Congress) 2024. University of Leeds, Leeds, July 2024.
  • 2023.  ‘Exploring Soul-and-Body Doctrine through Soul and Body and the Riddle Tradition in Early Medieval England’ (20 min), XXXIII International Conference of SELIM. University of Múrcia, Múrcia, September 2023.
  • 2023.  ‘The Old English Soul and Body, Lorsch Riddle 2, and Exeter Riddle 43: Doctrinal antithesis and/or agreement?’ (20 min), WOOPIE. University of Oxford, Oxford, July 2023.
  • 2023.  ‘Expecting the Unpredictable: Preparing for Judgement in Bede’s Death Song and Soul and Body’ (15 min), English Graduate Conference 2023. University College London, London, June 2023.