Representations of the Natural World in Old English Poetry (Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England, Series Number 27)

This book examines descriptions of the natural world in a wide range of Old English poetry. Jennifer Neville describes the physical conditions experienced by the Anglo-Saxons and argues that the poetic descriptions were not a reflection of these conditions but a literary device used by Anglo-Saxons to define more important issues, such as the state of humanity, the creation and maintenance of society, the power of individuals, the relationship between God and creation, and the power of writing to control information.

Literature & Fiction

Neville, Jennifer

British & Irish

Cambridge University Press

This book examines descriptions of the natural world in a wide range of Old English poetry. Jennifer Neville describes the physical conditions experienced by the Anglo-Saxons and argues that the poetic descriptions were not a reflection of these conditions but a literary device used by Anglo-Saxons to define more important issues, such as the state of humanity, the creation and maintenance of society, the power of individuals, the relationship between God and creation, and the power of writing to control information.

At the end of the tenth-century English manuscript the Exeter Book, there is a collection of almost one hundred riddles. They are notable for many reasons, but one feature in particular has challenged modern readers: their lack of solutions. In Truth Is Trickiest, Jennifer Neville argues that the absence of solutions, rather than being an unfortunate accident, uncovers an essential quality of these texts. In opposition to the general expectation that a successfully solved riddle will have one correct answer, Neville argues that the Exeter Book riddles are written to generate multiple solutions. The correct response to an Exeter Book riddle is not a single, elegant solution but instead an ongoing process of interpretation that leads readers to question what they think they know. Truth Is Trickiest contextualizes its readings within the larger field of Old English poetry, early medieval material culture, and Anglo-Latin riddles. The book pursues the central issue of interpretation in relation to social values, craftsmanship, hierarchical social structures, violence, irony, humour, and sexuality. It concludes with a full list of previously proposed solutions to document the history of the ongoing argument that the Exeter Book riddles have provoked.&nbsp;

Truth Is Trickiest: The Case for Ambiguity in the Exeter Book Riddles

History & Criticism

University of Toronto Press

The Goddess Portal: Divine Feminine Wisdom Codes for Modern Maidens, Mothers, Queens, and Crones

Religion & Spirituality

Holden, Chelsea

Rhodes, Caitlyn

Berman, Lindsay M

Vivanco, Irene

Rodriguez, Taryn

Surak, Theresa M

Minkler, Kayla

Ourania, Sabrina

Nic, Imani

New Age & Spirituality

Independently published

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Books by Neville, Jennifer