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Eleni Ponirakis
Honorary Visiting Fellow,
Contact
Biography
I obtained my PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2017. My thesis, 'Interactions of Thought and Action in Old English Poetry' was supervised by Dr Paul Cavil and Dr Jayne Carroll. Previous to that I studied for an MA in Anglo-Saxon and Viking Studies (Distinction).
Expertise Summary
My principal area of expertise is in Old English literature and language. I am also interested in Middle English Romance, Old Norse poetry and patristic theology.
Research Summary
The Presence of the Greek Concept of Θεόσις (deification) in Old English Texts: The aim of this research project is to demonstrate the extent of the presence of early Greek Christian philosophy… read more
Current Research
The Presence of the Greek Concept of Θεόσις (deification) in Old English Texts: The aim of this research project is to demonstrate the extent of the presence of early Greek Christian philosophy (Evagrius via Cassian, Pseudo-Dionysius and Maximus the Confessor via Eriugena) in Old English texts and to evaluate the implications of this discovery with regard to our understanding of early medieval mysticism and theology. This research also demonstrates intellectual connections between early medieval England and other parts of the world, including Ireland, North Africa, Greece and Francia.
I am organizing an interdisciplinary online conference on medieval spirits and spirituality to be held next Spring.
Past Research
My research has focussed on the presentation of the mind in Old English texts. In my forthcoming monograph Thought and Action in Old English Poetry and Prose (https://wmich.edu/medievalpublications/books/rawlinson-series), I look at the way in certain Old English texts, there is a significant balance between mental and physical action, and identify a trope where mental movement is associated with emotion and opposed to wisdom, wisdom being associated with mental stasis. The monograph has its basis in the research undertaken for my PhD thesis.
Future Research
I intend to develop my research on the influence of Greek (Neoplatonic - Pseudo-Dionysius, Maximus the Confessor.) thinking on Old English texts, and how it gets there.