My research examines confrontations with evil in Old Norse literature. Feeding into the recent resurgence of interest in medieval Icelandic hagiography, I am exploring the unique understandings of evil expressed by writers after the Christianisation of Iceland. This involves contextualising Old Norse texts within wider theological discussions alongside close analysis of vernacular works to build a picture of the moral and theological landscape of medieval Iceland. Taking vernacular hagiography as a starting point, I am examining the influence of Christian conceptions of evil on Old Norse literature and noting the key points where Icelandic texts vary from their Latin counterparts. I am particularly interested in the merging of theological ideas with Norse mythological tradition and literary style. 

My research explores saints and the demonic in vernacular hagiography, nature and wilderness in sagas, and representations of illness in medical texts. By examining these genres in combination, I aim to give a comprehensive picture of the understanding of evil within medieval Icelandic literature.