The medieval in cyberspace
A personal account of a recent conference organised by The International Society for the Study of Medievalism (ISSM) on the topic of ‘the medieval in cyberspace’, describing how the conference studied the myriad of ways in which the middle ages are represented and adapted in the digital world. From Beowulf and king Arthur to fan-fiction and costume parties, this highly interactive conference explored the possibilities offered and challenges raised by modern digital media for both the study and public perceptions of the middle ages.
A Dutch version of this blog was published on the website of Kelten.
In October 2023, while the wind howled and the rain drummed against the windows, I burrowed deep within my home. Seated at my computer on a chair piled high with cushions and blankets, with warm hot chocolate within easy reach, I decided that for the next few days I would not leave my fortress. I was, in effect, journeying back to the Middle Ages – albeit online – as I attended a virtual conference themed ‘The Medieval in Cyberspace’.
This annual conference is organised by The International Society for the Study of Medievalism (ISSM), an academic body dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of both popular and scholarly receptions of the Middle Ages in post-medieval times. The 2023 ISSM conference, ‘The Medieval in Cyberspace’, explored the many ways in which the Middle Ages have been represented and reimagined in the digital world. From medieval websites and online games to the re-creation of medieval science and the construction of neo-medieval social media communities – it was all there.
From Beowulf on Steorarume (‘Beowulf in Cyberspace’) to contemporary novels in electronic format, films and video games: since 1990, the Middle Ages have had a digital presence on the World Wide Web. The conference brought together researchers from all over the globe to discuss the diverse manifestations of medievalism in cyberspace. There were papers, thematic sessions, round-table discussions, panels and workshops celebrating, criticising, categorising, visualising, analysing and even predicting every conceivable online element imbued with medieval flair. We particularly examined how these digital representations of the Middle Ages have influenced popular perceptions of that past, and how they have shaped academic debates. Together, we actively sought out new avenues for cultural engagement.
A central theme of the conference was the representation of the Middle Ages in a digital environment, where the boundaries between historical accuracy and creative interpretation often blur. We discussed at length the challenges surrounding ‘authenticity’ and ‘accuracy’ versus accessibility – although in my own presentation I advocated for letting go of that debate in favour of assessing how convincing an interactive model of the Middle Ages can be. We also considered the impact of the digital Middle Ages on our understanding of the past and its relevance for the present. The conference highlighted the potential of cyberspace to expand the scope of medieval studies. Digitisation has opened up new access to medieval texts, artefacts and historical archives, enabling scholars to conduct research on a global scale and to reach a wider audience. Moreover, online platforms have facilitated the creation of virtual communities of medieval enthusiasts, fostering new forms of collaboration and knowledge exchange.
There were two keynote presentations: ‘Hey ChatGPT: what’s “medievalism”?’, by Robert Squillace (Professor of Art, Text and Media at New York University), and ‘Staying with the Middle: Transdisciplinary and Transhistorical Approaches to Digital Making and Doing’, by Lissa Holloway-Attaway (Senior Lecturer in Media Art, Aesthetics and Narratology at the University of Skövde, Sweden). Recordings of these keynotes are available at: https://medievalisms.org/conferences/. In addition to the keynotes and paper sessions, the conference featured a number of special events, including receptions, an avatar costume party and a game night. The receptions were held in two separate spaces: a Zoom environment and the UNICORN Castle (the Mozilla Hubs version). Participants could chat or converse with others, as well as view recorded presentations posted in each virtual space. The avatar costume party ran throughout the weekend, so participants could pop in and out at their leisure. Everyone could choose their own avatar and costume, resulting in some stunningly medieval-inspired outfits – some very serious, others more tongue-in-cheek, like ‘Viking helmets’ with horns. The game nights offered attendees the chance to participate in two different role-playing games: Rough Magic® Table Top Game via Zoom and The UNICORN Castle Workshop. Rough Magic® was designed as an introductory Dungeons and Dragons-style game, while The UNICORN Castle Workshop was based on research into issues of diversity, equality and inclusion. These special events not only provided a fun and social break, but also allowed participants to fully immerse themselves in the digital reimagining of the Middle Ages.
Celtic languages and cultures were also a popular topic at the ISSM conference, with several panels dedicated to the subject. King Arthur featured repeatedly, with various sessions exploring his role in the digital realm. In the Thursday session ‘Teaching Arthurian Medievalisms Online’, Karen Casey Casebier – an expert in blending the sacred and the profane in various genres of thirteenth-century French literature, as well as in bestiaries and Arthurian graphic novels – examined the challenges and opportunities of teaching Arthurian medieval studies online. She highlighted the various ways in which digital tools and platforms can be utilised to engage students and help them develop a profound understanding of the Arthurian tradition. By contrast, the session ‘Arthuriana in a Dystopic Digital Black Hole’ focused on the darker side of Arthurian representations in the digital space, with participants exploring how Arthurian stories and characters are employed to craft dystopian narratives commenting on contemporary issues such as political extremism and environmental degradation. I found many of these discussions resonated with my own research into far-right elements in medieval-inspired fan fiction.
Celtic mythology was also central to the Thursday session ‘The Fifth Branch: Modern Adaptations and Re-Imaginings of the Mabinogion’. This session explored how the Mabinogion – a collection of medieval Welsh stories (first translated by Lady Charlotte Guest) – has been adapted and reinterpreted in modern media, including literature, film and video games. Perhaps the best-known example is J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. On Friday, King Arthur made another appearance in the session ‘Comics Get Medieval 2023: Arthuriana and Medieval Fantasy in the Comics’, sponsored by the Medieval Comics Project. This session examined how Arthurian narratives and characters are utilised in comic books, with a focus on recent trends and developments in the genre.
Overall, I found the conference both enlightening and enjoyable. It was heartening to be virtually connected with people from so many different parts of the world. I personally learned a great deal about non-Western medievalism – for instance, through Luiz Felipe Anchieta Guerra’s illuminating lecture on ‘The Medieval Americas’ (with the delightfully humorous title ‘Tupi or not Tupi?’) and Rashmi Sharma’s engaging talk on ‘The Graphic Mythologies of the Mahabharata’. Finally, I was very pleased with the stimulating discussions and feedback in response to my own paper on fan fiction centred around Alfred the Great. In short, I feel re-inspired and ready to look forward again!
