Stefan Jurasinski Boeken

The influence of nineteenth-century legal historians on the editing of Old English texts, particularly Beowulf, is a central theme. Their methodologies and interpretations have shaped modern editions, leading to a significant archaizing effect on the text. This exploration highlights how historical perspectives can impact literary scholarship and the preservation of cultural heritage.

King Alfred's domboc ('book of laws'), the most ambitious legal text of the Anglo-Saxon period, combines translated biblical laws with Alfred's own ordinances and those of the early West-Saxon King Ine. This edition and commentary - the first in over a century - will interest all students of English history and law.