Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on July 14, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-52).

Habilitationsschrift--Technische Hochschule, Aachen. / Includes selected texts in Latin and Old French. Includes bibliographical references (p. [455]-468).

Thesis--London, 1930. / Bibliographical notes at end of each chapter.

Inaug.-Diss. - Berlin. / A study of the Latin anthology edited by Johannes Heller. Lebenslauf.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 294-314). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2007. / Thesis directed by Michael Lapidge and Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe for the Department of English. "April 2007." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 272-290).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2565. Adviser: Marianne Kalinke. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-211) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

In the eddic poem Hávamál, the god Óðinn gives advice, including a warning about the fickleness of human, and divine, nature. He cites his own flagrant deception of giants who trusted him in order to win the mead of poetry as evidence for this deep-seated capacity for deceit, asking of himself: ‘how can his word be trusted?’ This is an intriguing question to ask in a poem purporting to relate the wisdom of Óðinn, and it is a concern repeatedly voiced in regard to him and other speakers in the elaborate narrative frames of the Old Norse wisdom poems. The exchange of wisdom in poetic texts such as this is no simple matter. Wisdom is conceived of as a body of knowledge, experience and observation that binds together all aspects of human life, the natural world and the supernatural realms. But its application depended heavily on the way in which it was passed on and interpreted. This dissertation examines the ways that these poems reflect on the interpretation and value of their own contents as a function of the particular speaker and circumstances of each wisdom exchange. The texts which form the foundation of this enquiry are the so-called eddic poems: alliterative verses largely preserved within a single manuscript of the thirteenth century, though many are arguably of much earlier date. About a dozen of the surviving poems might be classed, however tentatively, as concerning wisdom, though the route to this classification is not straightforward. Definition of this corpus, and of the genre of wisdom literature more widely, is thus the principal aim of the introductory Chapter I, while Chapter II expands on the question of material and methodology by scrutinizing the idea of wisdom in general within Old Norse. Crucial here is an examination of the terms used for wisdom and associated concepts, which suggest an antagonistic view of how knowledge might pass from one person to another. Close readings of the text and sensitivity to the manuscript context of each poem, as well as consideration of the significance of their potential oral prehistory and awareness of comparable literatures from other contexts, are established here as the dominant mode of analysis. Observations derived from the interpretation of comparable literatures also inform my approach. With a grounding in wisdom literature more generally and with the salient concepts relating to knowledge transfer thus established, I go on to examine specific points and groups within the body of eddic wisdom poetry which shed light on the evolving interpretation of wisdom exchange. An important case-study analyzed in this way in Chapter III is perhaps the most complex: Hávamál itself, a famous but notoriously problematic text probably reflecting multiple layers of composition. It is at the heart of the question of how mankind relates to supernatural beings - a relationship which could be particularly fraught where the transmission of wisdom occurred. Thus this chapter also contains analysis of terminology for men, gods and other supernatural beings which sheds light on the relationships between the human and the divine. Chapter IV expands on these issues to consider three paradigms of mythological wisdom instruction which bridge different worlds, human and supernatural, or between different supernatural domains: poems in which Óðinn dispenses wisdom; those in which he acquires it from a contest with another living being; and those in which he acquires it from the dead through sacrifice and magical ability. These chapters establish the 'traditional' form of wisdom exchange as defined through eddic verses that adopt a broadly pre- or non-Christian setting. Yet eddic verse-forms did not die out with conversion, and in some cases were exploited for new compositions written from an explicitly Christian perspective or with parodic intent. These poems, discussed in Chapter V, cast an important sidelight onto the associations of eddic verse as a medium for conveying information of complicated or questionable authority. The concluding Chapter VI then addresses questions of what we may deduce from the preceding chapters about evolving cultural attitudes towards wisdom, authority and truth in medieval Iceland.

Abstract not available.

This dissertation argues that certain late-medieval British travelers intended more than simply to journey from place to place. Their travel writing reveals that they had other goals to accomplish, beyond the expected ones of seeing a new place or visiting a particular holy site. I am using three traveler-authors and their works: William Wey’s The Itineraries of William Wey (1458-62), Gerald of Wales’s The Description of Wales and The Journey Through Wales (c. 1191), and Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe (c.1436). This study begins with two chapters devoted to the nature of travel and travel writing in the Middle Ages, and an introduction of the three travelers. Why and how did people travel, and why did they leave written accounts? I will address two important discussions in the field—the idea of curiosity as a motivator for medieval travelers, and the debate best described as “communitas vs. the individual.” Chapters 3-5 will then address the individual authors. While all three certainly traveled for religious reasons such as pilgrimage or Crusade recruitment, each had multiple objectives for having their travels committed to paper. William Wey wanted to give helpful advice to others, and provide a substitute pilgrimage experience for those back in England who were unable to make the journey themselves. Gerald of Wales was traveling with high-ranking churchmen to encourage the Welsh to go on Crusade, but his ultimate goal was that of self-promotion, both for his literary travails and his future employment opportunities. Margery Kempe didn’t begin her travels with a specific goal in mind, other than to visit popular pilgrimage sites. However, once abroad, she develops a female fellowship—something she often lacked at home, and something she did not find amongst her travel companions. The conclusion will summarize my assessment of each author’s account, proving that each formed his/her identity through travel and travel writing. I will also address what they ultimately gained or lost by writing their accounts. Wey successfully guides future pilgrims, actual and virtual. Gerald hopes to highlight his own worth, but never gains the position he desires. Kempe is the most successful, finally finding a welcoming, feminine sphere. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2016. / May 10, 2016. / Gerald of Wales, Margery Kempe, Travel, William Wey / Includes bibliographical references. / David F. Johnson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Charles Brewer, University Representative; Anne Coldiron, Committee Member; David Gants, Committee Member; Nancy Bradley Warren, Committee Member.