Medievalisms and Others: Exploring Knights and Vikings at the Movies

Abstract

This thesis deals with medievalism within medieval cinema and how certain social groups are represented within these cultural productions. In my thesis I explore how and what medievalism is, especially in comparison to historical film. By utilizing the terminology, I analyze Arthurian films and Arthurian inspired films, as well as films dealing with Vikings. Because, medieval cinema has often been used for propaganda purposes how I explore how these films function, and in what manner they convey nationalistic sentiments, while also highlighting the alterity of other social groups not belonging to the normative core.