In recent years, popular myths surrounding the role of women in the Viking Age have reignited the myth of a woman warrior—not least in television and film. By looking at important examples from archaeological record, as well as literary sources, such as law codes and the Icelandic family sagas, this talk seeks to paint a more historically accurate picture of women and gender in the Viking Age. It argues that although women in the Viking Age did not, as a rule, wield weapons on the battlefield, they played a critical role in the society in which they lived, particularly with regard to the promotion and maintenance of honour, a fundamental ideal in Viking Age and medieval Scandinavia.
Natalie Van Deusen, Professor of Modern Languages & Cultural Studies at the University of Alberta, will lecture at this winter 2025 Global Women's Studies Colloquium event.
You can watch the lecture live in 238 HRCB or via Zoom by clicking here.