An examination of the representations of medieval Norse women and their modern depictions in visual media

Abstract

This thesis explores the representation of Norse women in the modern visual media, including sequential art, television series and film. The study examines the depictions of these women from the viewpoint of cultural identity and citizenship, with a focus on their physical appearance, clothing and jewellery. The Old Norse written sources and archaeological record are brought into the discussion as points of comparison, presenting points of convergence and divergence between the medieval past and the present time. The investigation also implements the use of surveys and focus groups to collect audience data and understand how these representations are perceived by society and what can we learn from them. This thesis brings together the fields of history, memory, representation, comics, television and audience studies in a celebration of culture, identity and gender in a subject previously overlooked.

Date of Award	3 Jan 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Ellie Woodacre (Supervisor) & Ryan Lavelle (Supervisor)