Creating the medieval saga –

versions, variability and editorial approaches

Date: 13-15 April 2005

Place: Dragefjellet, Jusbygget, seminarrom 1

In collaboration with the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University
of Bergen, the Department of Anglo-Saxon Norse and Celtic at the
University of Cambridge will hold a three-day symposium on the transmission and editing of medieval Icelandic sagas from a literary perspective.
The symposium has been funded by Nordisk Kulturfond and the Scandinavian Studies Fund of the University of Cambridge.

programme and abstracts (updated 24 Feb.)

Wednesday 13 April

3.30-6.00pm SESSION I

Odd Einar Haugen, University of Bergen:
‘What happened to the critical edition?’
(Russell Poole, respondent)

Vésteinn Ólason, University of Iceland:
‘The “new” Eyrbyggja saga: a challenge’
(Judith Jesch, respondent)

Margaret Clunies Ross, University of Sydney:
‘Verse and prose in Egils saga’
(Andrew Wawn, respondent)

6.15-7.30pm RECEPTION

Thursday 14 April
8.45-11.15am SESSION II

Russell Poole, University of Western Ontario:

‘Thoughts on the prehistory of sagas: or, what is it to þylja?’
(Margaret Clunies Ross, respondent)

Judith Jesch, University of Nottingham:
‘Orkneyinga saga – a work in progress?
(Kate Heslop, respondent)

Trine Buhl, University of Århus:
‘Notions of Generic Transition and Saga Origins’

11.30am-1.10pm SESSION III

Emily Lethbridge, University of Cambridge:

‘The treatment of marital relations in the three versions of Gísla saga Súrssonar’

(Odd Einar Haugen, respondent)

Þórður Ingi Guðjónsson, University of Iceland:

Gísla saga Editing the three versions of Gísla saga

(Karl G. Johansson, respondent)

2.30-5.15pm SESSION IV

Kate Heslop, University of Newcastle:
‘Strategies of re[tro]jection: reading Grettisfœrsla back in to Grettis saga’

(Jürg Glauser, respondent)

Andrew Wawn, University of Leeds:
‘Dusting off a saga: the case of Þorsteins saga’
(Matthew Driscoll, respondent)

Guðrún Nordal, University of Iceland:
‘Manuscript versions of Njáls saga’
(Lars Lönnroth , respondent)

Friday 15 April
10.00-1140am SESSION V

Tarrin Wills, University of Sydney:
‘Dreams in þættir’
(Guðrún Nordal, respondent)

Matthew Driscoll, University of Copenhagen:
‘Where are we, how did we get here, and where do we go now? Thoughts on Old Icelandic scholarly editing ’
(Emily Lethbridge, respondent)

Karl G. Johansson, University of Oslo:
‘In praise of manuscript culture: texts and editions in the computer age’ (Trine Buhl, respondent)

12. 00

GENERAL DISCUSSION

The symposium will be limited to 35 participants to maximise interaction and to foster cumulative debate.

The symposium has been organised by Dr Judy Quinn of the University of
Cambridge in collaboration with Professor Else Mundal of the Centre for
Medieval Studies at the University of Bergen, which will host the event.

If you are interested in attending the symposium, please contact: Professor Judy Quinn

Except in the case of invited participants, a registration fee will be charged to cover the cost of meals and accommodation.