Outsiders on the inside : conception of disability in medieval Western Scandinavia

Author / Creator

Michelson-Ambelang, Todd, dissertant

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Online

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Summary

This dissertation analyzes disability and impairment as found in the Sagas and Þættir of Icelanders. Through the analysis of impairment and disability as seen through the lens of minority and cultu...

This dissertation analyzes disability and impairment as found in the Sagas and Þættir of Icelanders. Through the analysis of impairment and disability as seen through the lens of minority and cultural studies, lexicographical studies, character studies and close readings of texts defined in the genre of Sagas and Þættir of Icelanders it is possible construct a more thorough understanding of how medieval Icelandic and Norwegian society received and perceived concepts of impairment, disability, and people who were impaired and disabled. The dissertation comprises four chapters, each one a different type of analysis of impairment and disability. Chapter 1 begins with an examination of the current trends in studies of medieval Icelandic and Norwegian culture as well as the current state of disability studies. From the disability studies standpoint, understanding the effects of impairments comes through the use of different cultural models. The second chapter consists of an examination of terms for impairment in the Sagas and Þættir of Icelanders and allows for a comprehension of different terms used and their frequency. Chapter 3 provides a character analysis of sixteen characters with impairments found in the texts; this helps to ascertain if a character with an impairment was considered disabled by society or not. Chapter 4 is a close reading of four texts, which helps establish specific views of impairment and disability, as seen through models of disability studies.

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