Assistant Professor
B.A. (Hons), Queen’s University, Canada
B.Ed., Queen’s University, Canada
M.St., University of Oxford, UK
D.Phil., University of Oxford, UK
E-mail: matthew.roby@msvu.ca
Teaching and Research Interests
Medieval languages and literatures, especially Old English, Middle English, and Old Norse-Icelandic. Additional interests include the pan-European romance tradition; medieval conceptions of sex and gender; medieval conceptions of childhood, adolescence, and old age; medieval depictions of the paranormal and monstrous; medievalism, especially William Morris and J.R.R. Tolkien; Modern Icelandic language, literature, and culture; and pedagogy.
Publications
Editions and Translations
(With Ármann Jakobsson) The Poetic Edda: A Verse Translation. New York, Norton, forthcoming.
“Merlínússpá.” The Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature, edited by Kathy Cawsey and Elizabeth Edwards, Peterborough, Broadview, 2023, pp. 184–90.
Articles and Book Chapters
“Female Sexual Consent and Culpability in Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: The ‘Bedtrick’ in Adonias saga and its Sources.” Medieval Feminist Forum, forthcoming.
“Old Age, Gender, and the Life Course.” A Cultural History of Old Age in the Medieval Era (500-1400), edited by Lucie Laumonier and Joel Rosenthal, London, Bloomsbury, forthcoming.
“The Negation of Male Sexual Volition in Old Norse-Icelandic Depictions of Rape: The Case of Adonias saga.” Pre-Print Papers of the 18th International Saga Conference, edited by Joonas Ahola, Jesse Barber, Frog, and Karolina Kouvola, Helsinki, University of Helsinki, 2022, pp. 274–80.
“The ‘Troll-Girl Revelation’ Motif: Female Infantile Sexuality and Pedophilia in Hálfdanar saga Brönufóstra and Jökuls þáttr Búasonar.” Scandinavian Studies, vol. 93, no.4, 2021, pp. 553–85.
“Menopausal Marvels: Elderly Female Sexuality in the Fróðárundur of Eyrbyggja saga.” Saga-Book, vol. 44, 2020, pp. 139–66.
“Male Sexual Maturation and the ‘Temporary Troll Lover’ Trope.” Masculinities in Old Norse Literature, edited by Gareth Evans and Jess Hancock, Woodbridge, Boydell, 2020, pp. 37–57.
“Eating People and Feeling Sorry: Cannibals, Contrition, and the Didactic Donestre in the Old English Wonders of the East and Latin Mirabilia.” Darkness, Depression, and Descent in Anglo-Saxon England, edited by Ruth Wehlau, Kalamazoo, Medieval Institute Press, 2019, pp. 167–205.
Conference Presentations
“Towards a New Translation of the Poetic Edda.” Atlantic Medieval Association Annual Conference, 2024, Acadia University, Wolfville. Conference Paper.
“Quenching the Thirst/Correcting the Record: ‘Vikings’ for Popular Audiences in the 21st Century.” Atlantic Medieval and Early Modern Group Annual Conference, 2024, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax. Conference Paper.
“The Bed-Trick in Old Norse Sagas.” Canadian Society of Medievalists Annual Conference, 2022, York University, Toronto. Conference Paper.
“The Negation of Male Sexual Volition in Old Norse-Icelandic Depictions of Rape: The Case of Adonias saga.” 18th International Saga Conference, 2022, Universities of Helsinki and Tallinn, Helsinki and Tallinn. Published Conference Paper (Pre-Print Papers).
“Sexual Consent in the Medieval Icelandic Romance Tradition.” Centre for Medieval Studies Online Lecture Series, 2022, University of Toronto, Toronto, 2022. Invited Academic Lecture.
“Male Agency and Accountability in Old Norse-Icelandic Portrayals of Sexual Assault.” Medieval Consent: A Critical Symposium, 2021, University of Oxford, Oxford. Conference Paper.
“Trolls and the Troubles of Growing up Female in Medieval Iceland.” Queen’s English Department Research Forum, 2018,mQueen’s University, Kingston. Invited Public Lecture
“Till (un)Death Do Us Part: Post-Menopausal Sexualities and Revenant Partners in Eyrbyggja saga.” 17th International Saga Conference, 2018, University of Iceland, Reykjavík. Conference Paper.
“The Troll as Rehearsal Bride: Exploring Young Love and Lust in Ketils saga hængs and Other Medieval Icelandic Sagas.” Old Norse in Oxford Research Seminar, 2017, University of Oxford, Oxford. Invited Academic Lecture
“Trolls, Pre-Marital Mistresses, and ‘Puppy Love’ in Ketils saga hængs.” Leeds International Medieval Congress, 2017, University of Leeds, Leeds. Conference Paper.
“Eating People and Feeling Sorry: Cannibals, Contrition, and the Didactic Donestre in the Old English Wonders of the East and Latin Mirabilia.” Canadian Society of Medievalists Annual Conference, 2017, Ryerson University, Toronto. Conference Paper. (Recipient of the CMS Best Graduate Student Presentation Award.)
“Showers of Abject Blood: Middle-Aged Seduction and Menopausal Symbolism in Eyrbyggja Saga.” Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies Annual Conference, 2017, Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis. Conference Paper.
“‘Skamm hafi þínar systr’: Promiscuous Troll Children and Female Infantile Sexuality in Icelandic Legendary Sagas.” Midland Viking Symposium, 2017, University of Birmingham, Birmingham. Invited Public Lecture.
“Night Riders and Sexual Predators: Female Hypersexuality and Male Rape in Eyrbyggja Saga.” Northern and Early Medieval Interdisciplinary Conference Series, 2016, University College London, London. Conference Paper.
“‘Ekki annað en hestskökull’: Sex and Old Age in Völsa þáttr and Ásmundar saga flagðagæfu.” Bergen Postgraduate Symposium in Old Norse Studies, 2016, University of Bergen, Bergen. Conference Paper.
“Carnal Cadavers: Depictions of Sexual Assault by Ghosts in the Íslendingasögur.” Gender and Medieval Studies Conference, 2016, University of Hull, Hull. Conference Paper.
“Sex and the Supernatural in the Icelandic Family Sagas.” Queen’s Medieval Seminar Series, 2015, Queen’s University, Kingston. Invited Public Lecture.
Popular Publications and Appearances
“Saga Stories” video series with The Reykjavík Grapevine
“Grettis saga: The Outlaw among the Puffins.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/-xUb-DeHbCQ.
“Witches and Wonders in Eyrbyggja saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/tfaBNZFZ_zY.
“Zombies and Berserks in Eyrbyggja saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/0hNseMRMKoA.
“Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/1Rehdppk8d0.
“Harðar saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/ju5ksjj6nds.
“Volcanoes in the Sagas.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/kZxShsGf99I.
“Njáls saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/74JhshYgP2A.
“Flóamanna saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2021, https://youtu.be/d0ks7LhmY_E.
“Egils saga.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2020, https://youtu.be/j4KtddmStfY.
“Þingvellir.” YouTube, uploaded by The Reykjavík Grapevine, 2020, https://youtu.be/3MBJNSJ1wiI.
Podcast Interviews
“Old Norse-Icelandic Literature and Njáls saga.” Lit with Charles, 2023, https://litwithcharles.substack.com/p/matthew-roby-professor-on-icelandic-15f.
“Sex and the Sagas.” Medieval Grad Podcast, from Medievalists.net, 2022, https://www.medievalists.net/2022/05/sex-and-sagas/.
“Sagas and Gender.” Medieval Grad Podcast, from Medievalists.net, 2022, https://www.medievalists.net/2022/04/sagas-and-gender/.
“Monmouth Translated into Eddic Prophecy.” Eavesdropping on Arthurians, 2020, https://shows.acast.com/eavesdroppingonarthurians/episodes/episode-4-monmouth-translated-into-eddic-prophecy.