The ideology of war in early medieval England: three case studies in Anglo-Saxon literature

This thesis aims at enhancing current understanding of the ideological dimension of war in early medieval England by investigating how war is represented and discussed in a number of Anglo-Saxon literary texts. In order to highlight how ideas and attitudes towards war evolved through time, this study comprises of three case studies arranged in chronological order. Chapter One considers the perception and representation of war in the Old English biblical poems Genesis, Exodus and Judith, showing how the Old Testament ideology of war was highly popular and influential throughout the Anglo-Saxon period. Chapter Two investigates ideas and attitudes towards war in a number of ninth-century texts produced in the context of King Alfred’s programme for the revival of literature and learning. This case study highlights how the coming of the Vikings prompted the ‘intellectual community’ operating under Alfred’s aegis to develop articulate and unprecedented reflection on the issue of war. Chapter Three focuses on the second Viking Age and explores how two notable late Anglo-Saxon authors, namely Ælfric of Eynsham and Wulfstan of York, responded to the violent return of the Scandinavian raiders.