Monsters of the Middle Ages

Medieval literature is often dismissed as formulaic - the good are good, the evil are evil. But the reality is far more nuanced. Chivalric romances and travel narratives explore with psychological insight and theological depth the question of what monsters exist and why they exist.

This presentation showcases selected monsters from Danish medieval literature: how dragons emerge, what dog-headed creatures and cannibals represent, and who the vengeful dwarf king is. These texts have largely gone unnoticed until recently, when they were translated into modern Danish.