Mackenzie, Colin Peter (2014) Vernacular psychologies in Old Norse- Icelandic and Old English. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5290/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten:Theses http://theses.gla.ac.uk/
[email protected] Vernacular Psychologies in Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English Colin Peter Mackenzie MA, MPhil Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of PhD English Language School of Critical Studies College of Arts University of Glasgow June 2014 2 Abstract This thesis examines the vernacular psychology presented in Old Norse-Icelandic texts. It focuses on the concept hugr , generally rendered in English as ‘mind, soul, spirit’, and explores the conceptual relationships between emotion, cognition and the body. It argues that despite broad similarities, Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English vernacular psychology differ more than has previously been acknowledged. Furthermore, it shows that the psychology of Old Norse-Icelandic has less in common with its circumpolar neighbours than proposed by advocates of Old Norse-Icelandic shamanism. The thesis offers a fresh interpretation of Old Norse-Icelandic psychology which does not rely on cross-cultural evidence from other Germanic or circumpolar traditions.