Dr Eleanor Parker

My research focuses on literature in England between the tenth and the thirteenth centuries, with a particular focus on the literary and cultural impact of the Viking and Norman invasions. My first book Dragon Lords: The History and Legends of Viking England (2018) developed out of my doctoral research into the development and circulation of narratives about Viking invasion and settlement in medieval England. I have also published several articles relating to post-Conquest interpretations of Anglo-Scandinavian history, especially the reign of Cnut. My second book, Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England (2022), looked at the generation of English children who grew up in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest and examined interpretations of their lives in romance, hagiography and historical writing.

I also have an interest in Old Norse literature and the cultural connections between England and Scandinavia in the medieval period; with Professor Heather O'Donoghue, I am co-editor of the forthcoming Cambridge History of Old Norse-Icelandic Literature (2024).

My other main research interest is the history of the festival year, calendar customs, and medieval writing on time and the seasons. My most recent book is Winters in the World: A Journey Through the Anglo-Saxon Year (2022), tracking the cycle of the seasons and the festival year in a wide variety of texts from Anglo-Saxon England.

Old and Middle English Literature, English Language, Old Norse Literature

I write and review frequently on medieval topics in the press, including writing a regular column for History Today. I have published translations of medieval English and Old Norse poetry and have acted as consultant translator for several interdisciplinary and media projects, as well as collaborating with a variety of contemporary poets, musicians and artists working with medieval literature. I have been interviewed for radio and television on subjects including the Vikings, Anglo-Saxon saints, the Norman Conquest, medieval carols, and the history of the festival year, and I can be found on Twitter @ClerkofOxford.

 

College profile

Publications