Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir
ABSTRACT: Previous studies of the dísir have tended to focus on either their links with fertility or use of the term to designate a wide range of supranatural female figures. This study reassesses the textual evidence for the nature of these beings, applying Jens Peter Schjødt’s notion of “discours...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Danish |
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Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift |
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| Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/rvt/article/view/132109 |
| _version_ | 1797360966247120896 |
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| author | Luke John Murphy |
| author_facet | Luke John Murphy |
| author_sort | Luke John Murphy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
ABSTRACT: Previous studies of the dísir have tended to focus on either their links with fertility or use of the term to designate a wide range of supranatural female figures. This study reassesses the textual evidence for the nature of these beings, applying Jens Peter Schjødt’s notion of “discourse” to argue that we should not be searching for a single coherent category of beings. Rather, it argues, our sources depict three semidistinct “dísir” discourses: a group of prosperity-focused female figures with strong links to local landscapes worshipped during the late pagan Iron Age; the use of the signifier “dís” as a poetic synonym for a range of female figures in verse; and a medieval textual discourse of “martial dísir” construed on the basis of poetic texts, but which has no basis in pre-Christian religion.
RESUME: Tidligere studier af diserne har haft en tendens til at fokusere enten på deres forbindelse til frugtbarhed eller på brugen af termen til at beskrive en bred vifte af overnaturlige kvindeskikkelser. Dette studier revurderer tekstgrundlaget for disse væseners natur og benytter Jens Peter Schjødts begreb ”diskurs” til at argumentere for, at der ikke er tale om én standardiseret kategori af væsener. I stedet argumenteres der for, at kilderne afslører tre mere eller mindre særskilte diskurser om ”dísir”: En gruppe kvindefigurer med fokus på velstand med stærke bånd til lokale landskaber, som blev dyrket i den sene jernalder; brugen af termen ”dís” som et poetisk synonym for diverse kvindeskikkelser i digte; og en middelalderlig tekstdiskurs omkring ”krigeriske dísir” konstrueret ud fra poetiske tekster, men uden understøttelse in førkristen religion.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:47:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5b73e67915044f88f3e6a70392a1e66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1904-8181 |
| language | Danish |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:47:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5b73e67915044f88f3e6a70392a1e662024-01-09T11:07:46ZdanReligionsvidenskabeligt TidsskriftReligionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift1904-81812022-03-017410.7146/rt.v74i.132109Distinguishing Discourses of the DísirLuke John Murphy ABSTRACT: Previous studies of the dísir have tended to focus on either their links with fertility or use of the term to designate a wide range of supranatural female figures. This study reassesses the textual evidence for the nature of these beings, applying Jens Peter Schjødt’s notion of “discourse” to argue that we should not be searching for a single coherent category of beings. Rather, it argues, our sources depict three semidistinct “dísir” discourses: a group of prosperity-focused female figures with strong links to local landscapes worshipped during the late pagan Iron Age; the use of the signifier “dís” as a poetic synonym for a range of female figures in verse; and a medieval textual discourse of “martial dísir” construed on the basis of poetic texts, but which has no basis in pre-Christian religion. RESUME: Tidligere studier af diserne har haft en tendens til at fokusere enten på deres forbindelse til frugtbarhed eller på brugen af termen til at beskrive en bred vifte af overnaturlige kvindeskikkelser. Dette studier revurderer tekstgrundlaget for disse væseners natur og benytter Jens Peter Schjødts begreb ”diskurs” til at argumentere for, at der ikke er tale om én standardiseret kategori af væsener. I stedet argumenteres der for, at kilderne afslører tre mere eller mindre særskilte diskurser om ”dísir”: En gruppe kvindefigurer med fokus på velstand med stærke bånd til lokale landskaber, som blev dyrket i den sene jernalder; brugen af termen ”dís” som et poetisk synonym for diverse kvindeskikkelser i digte; og en middelalderlig tekstdiskurs omkring ”krigeriske dísir” konstrueret ud fra poetiske tekster, men uden understøttelse in førkristen religion. https://tidsskrift.dk/rvt/article/view/132109Supernatural femalespre-Christian beliefstaxonomyheitiEddic poetry |
| spellingShingle | Luke John Murphy Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift Supernatural females pre-Christian beliefs taxonomy heiti Eddic poetry |
| title | Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir |
| title_full | Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir |
| title_fullStr | Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir |
| title_short | Distinguishing Discourses of the Dísir |
| title_sort | distinguishing discourses of the disir |
| topic | Supernatural females pre-Christian beliefs taxonomy heiti Eddic poetry |
| url | https://tidsskrift.dk/rvt/article/view/132109 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lukejohnmurphy distinguishingdiscoursesofthedisir |