Olivia Mathers parlays a passion for the Middle Ages into her doctoral work in English literature by incorporating divergent sources.
From Margery Kempe (1373-1440) an obscure 14th century Christian mystic to Dungeons and Dragons, video game “Pentiment” and “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, Mathers gathers and weaves historical threads to explore and understand medieval history’s resonance in modern culture.
Mathers has a penchant for late medieval English literature and fantasy games. Pentiment is an historical narrative adventure role-playing video game set during the Middle Ages. It’s another rich source for Mathers’s work and imagination.
“It [the medieval period] is not the most popular academic English study, and I think I’m drawn to that because it’s less saturated,” said Mathers, a second year doctoral student.
Her research centers on The Book of Margery Kempe, considered the first autobiography written in English. The text recounts Kempe’s domestic life, holy pilgrimages—unthinkable for a woman of her time—and divine visions, including conversations with God, Jesus, and other religious figures during the height of Roman Catholic influence in medieval Britain. Mathers views her research and scholarly writing as a creative endeavor where she can explore interests.
Spotlight Recipient
Olivia Mathers
Ph.D. Candidate