Masterclass: Don't Fear the Draugr: The Role of The Icelandic Undead with Dr. Irina-Maria Manea

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Join SASA and Dr. Irina-Maria Manea to learn more about the Draugr and Icelandic Undead.  

Vikings seem to have had their own ghosts, but unlike many other creatures from folklore around the world, what distinguishes them is a palpable presence – In the Sagas of the Icelanders they appear corporeal, threatening and destructive. The draugar (a rather generic term – wooden log in poetic language) would pop up in many stories linked to the conversion times, become as big and heavy as oxen, reside in barrows protecting a treasure, attack passers-by and the most violent would terrorise and infect whole regions, like the „troll“ Glam from Grettis Saga or revenant (aptrgongur) Thorod from Eyrbiggja saga. A selfish attachment to bodies and possessions seems to be the main driving force. Measures for protection such as beheading, cremation or ghost trials also reflect a mixture of pagan remnants and Christian lore. In light of monstruosity viewed as an extreme form of otherness, let’s have a look at the motivations and functions of these creatures and how they can enlighten a part of mediaeval mentality.

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