Bibliographies by Ryan E Johnson
Scandinavian-Canadian Studies, 2019
This bibliography begins with full entries for Manuscripts. The Editions section attempts to be e... more This bibliography begins with full entries for Manuscripts. The Editions section attempts to be exhaustive to provide an idea of the current scope of translations available. The Criticism section has been created with an inclusive set of languages to be as useful to as many as possible and to provide easy access to title information in English.
Book Reviews by Ryan E Johnson
Scandinavian-Canadian Studies, 2018
Review of Sif Ríkharðsdóttir's book, Medieval Translations and Cultural Discourse: The Movements ... more Review of Sif Ríkharðsdóttir's book, Medieval Translations and Cultural Discourse: The Movements of Texts in England, France and Scandinavia
Scandinavian-Canadian Studies, 2018
Review of Ármann Jakobsson's book, A Sense of Belonging: Morkinskinna and Icelandic Identity, c. ... more Review of Ármann Jakobsson's book, A Sense of Belonging: Morkinskinna and Icelandic Identity, c. 1220
MA Thesis - Icelandic Literature by Ryan E Johnson
Eyrbyggja saga is thought to have been written at the monastery that was located at Helgafell on ... more Eyrbyggja saga is thought to have been written at the monastery that was located at Helgafell on the south side of Breiðafjörður during the 13th century. Many have considered the saga to have had relatively little Christian influence due to its vivid descriptions of what is purported to be heathen objects and customs within the saga. Recent research has turned this view on its head, leading scholars to ponder where heathen influence ends and Christian begins.
It is the purpose of this thesis to explore the idea that a Christian cleric modelled the saga based on the oral sources that he had at his disposal, weaving these sources together to suit his own aims. Rather than searching for the pagan and the Christian elements explicitly, the text will be inspected for one particular aspect of Latin education, well known to have been taught all over Europe at the time the saga is purported to have been written. This aspect is a part of the trivium of Latin learning, known as dialectic.
The implications of this type of education is first inspected, then a text available and extremely popular during the time is consulted for an understanding of the content of this education, Boethius’ De topicis differentiis. Finally this understanding is applied to a portion of the text of Eyrbyggja saga with the express goal of looking at the text from a similar lens as that of the Christian cleric that may have written it.
BA Thesis - Icelandic as a second language by Ryan E Johnson
The goal of this paper is to examine and compare Egils saga and the AMC television series Breakin... more The goal of this paper is to examine and compare Egils saga and the AMC television series Breaking Bad which revolves around the black market of illegal substances. This series has received numerous awards. From 2008-10 Bryan Cranston has won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and in 2010 Aaron Paul won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Not only have the actors won awards, but numerous times the series has been nominated and won awards for cinematography and writing, all in all Breaking Bad has been nominated 58 times and has won 26 awards.
One premise of the paper are the possibilities of creating exciting films from the contents of the Icelandic Family Sagas. Emphasis will be placed on possible changes to the content of a saga to conform to a new form of media. The arrangement of the plot is of significant importance due to possible long pauses in a saga after turning points in the story. A change in timeline could be a significant factor in increasing a viewer's enjoyment of a family saga.
The main characters in Egils saga and this television series are continually fighting to increase the respect they receive from their peers. In Egils saga people have money, friends and family in highest regard in all conflicts and events. The plot and themes in modern american television episodes are created in a similar manner. Events in these episodes revolve around violence despite the fact that characters would like to avoid violence. Egill appears to be a person who does not avoid violence but he takes part in violence when it seems there is no other choice open to him. In reality his decisions revolve around the respect he has or has not garnered from his peers. Walter White in Breaking Bad forges on in a similar way due to fear, respect, money and power. Within both plots a dualism in character creation can be seen. Egill Skalla-Grímsson and Walter White are two people who walk hand in hand with their respective doppelgänger.
Conference Presentations by Ryan E Johnson
The document has only undergone minor grammatical alterations such as punctuation. The presentati... more The document has only undergone minor grammatical alterations such as punctuation. The presentation of this paper has been made public on academia.edu at the request of Arngrímur Vídalín. Many thanks to him for his gracious request.
Originally published as an appendix to "Eyrbyggja and Icelandic Scholasticism. The Boethian Influ... more Originally published as an appendix to "Eyrbyggja and Icelandic Scholasticism. The Boethian Influence on Saga Narrative." http://hdl.handle.net/1946/19581
There was some notable interest in seeing this document during a paper presented at the Canadian Humanities and Social Sciences Congress (2016). The paper was entitled, "The Continent and the Islands: Transnational Communities in the Medieval Nordic World." Due to this interest it has been decided to release this list concerning the scholastics of early Christian Iceland as an up to date and separate document.
Books by Ryan E Johnson
Papers by Ryan E Johnson
Icelandic Connection, 2022
This paper provides a basic introduction to codicology and palaeography of Icelandic manuscripts ... more This paper provides a basic introduction to codicology and palaeography of Icelandic manuscripts moving from an Icelandic to a North American context where Icelandic manuscripts found a new home.
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Bibliographies by Ryan E Johnson
Book Reviews by Ryan E Johnson
MA Thesis - Icelandic Literature by Ryan E Johnson
It is the purpose of this thesis to explore the idea that a Christian cleric modelled the saga based on the oral sources that he had at his disposal, weaving these sources together to suit his own aims. Rather than searching for the pagan and the Christian elements explicitly, the text will be inspected for one particular aspect of Latin education, well known to have been taught all over Europe at the time the saga is purported to have been written. This aspect is a part of the trivium of Latin learning, known as dialectic.
The implications of this type of education is first inspected, then a text available and extremely popular during the time is consulted for an understanding of the content of this education, Boethius’ De topicis differentiis. Finally this understanding is applied to a portion of the text of Eyrbyggja saga with the express goal of looking at the text from a similar lens as that of the Christian cleric that may have written it.
BA Thesis - Icelandic as a second language by Ryan E Johnson
One premise of the paper are the possibilities of creating exciting films from the contents of the Icelandic Family Sagas. Emphasis will be placed on possible changes to the content of a saga to conform to a new form of media. The arrangement of the plot is of significant importance due to possible long pauses in a saga after turning points in the story. A change in timeline could be a significant factor in increasing a viewer's enjoyment of a family saga.
The main characters in Egils saga and this television series are continually fighting to increase the respect they receive from their peers. In Egils saga people have money, friends and family in highest regard in all conflicts and events. The plot and themes in modern american television episodes are created in a similar manner. Events in these episodes revolve around violence despite the fact that characters would like to avoid violence. Egill appears to be a person who does not avoid violence but he takes part in violence when it seems there is no other choice open to him. In reality his decisions revolve around the respect he has or has not garnered from his peers. Walter White in Breaking Bad forges on in a similar way due to fear, respect, money and power. Within both plots a dualism in character creation can be seen. Egill Skalla-Grímsson and Walter White are two people who walk hand in hand with their respective doppelgänger.
Conference Presentations by Ryan E Johnson
There was some notable interest in seeing this document during a paper presented at the Canadian Humanities and Social Sciences Congress (2016). The paper was entitled, "The Continent and the Islands: Transnational Communities in the Medieval Nordic World." Due to this interest it has been decided to release this list concerning the scholastics of early Christian Iceland as an up to date and separate document.
Books by Ryan E Johnson
Papers by Ryan E Johnson
It is the purpose of this thesis to explore the idea that a Christian cleric modelled the saga based on the oral sources that he had at his disposal, weaving these sources together to suit his own aims. Rather than searching for the pagan and the Christian elements explicitly, the text will be inspected for one particular aspect of Latin education, well known to have been taught all over Europe at the time the saga is purported to have been written. This aspect is a part of the trivium of Latin learning, known as dialectic.
The implications of this type of education is first inspected, then a text available and extremely popular during the time is consulted for an understanding of the content of this education, Boethius’ De topicis differentiis. Finally this understanding is applied to a portion of the text of Eyrbyggja saga with the express goal of looking at the text from a similar lens as that of the Christian cleric that may have written it.
One premise of the paper are the possibilities of creating exciting films from the contents of the Icelandic Family Sagas. Emphasis will be placed on possible changes to the content of a saga to conform to a new form of media. The arrangement of the plot is of significant importance due to possible long pauses in a saga after turning points in the story. A change in timeline could be a significant factor in increasing a viewer's enjoyment of a family saga.
The main characters in Egils saga and this television series are continually fighting to increase the respect they receive from their peers. In Egils saga people have money, friends and family in highest regard in all conflicts and events. The plot and themes in modern american television episodes are created in a similar manner. Events in these episodes revolve around violence despite the fact that characters would like to avoid violence. Egill appears to be a person who does not avoid violence but he takes part in violence when it seems there is no other choice open to him. In reality his decisions revolve around the respect he has or has not garnered from his peers. Walter White in Breaking Bad forges on in a similar way due to fear, respect, money and power. Within both plots a dualism in character creation can be seen. Egill Skalla-Grímsson and Walter White are two people who walk hand in hand with their respective doppelgänger.
There was some notable interest in seeing this document during a paper presented at the Canadian Humanities and Social Sciences Congress (2016). The paper was entitled, "The Continent and the Islands: Transnational Communities in the Medieval Nordic World." Due to this interest it has been decided to release this list concerning the scholastics of early Christian Iceland as an up to date and separate document.