Dr Laura Varnam
@drlauravarnam.bsky.social
Tutor in English Lit at Univ, Oxford. Medievalist. Poet. She/her. Co-founder @guildmedmak. Church as Sacred Space (2018). Encountering Margery Kempe (2021). Primers Volume Seven: Grendel’s Mother Bites Back (2024). Next books on Du Maurier, and Beowulf.
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
The second poem in PERVERSE 9E is 'It Is Voice' by Philip Gross (@vaikuspg.bsky.social). Read all five poems in this section here: perverse.substack.com/p/perverse-9e
November 11, 2025 at 8:55 AM
The second poem in PERVERSE 9E is 'It Is Voice' by Philip Gross (@vaikuspg.bsky.social). Read all five poems in this section here: perverse.substack.com/p/perverse-9e
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
Senior Librarian role in Oxford👇 www.asc.ox.ac.uk/fellow-libra...
Fellow Librarian | All Souls College
www.asc.ox.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Senior Librarian role in Oxford👇 www.asc.ox.ac.uk/fellow-libra...
Absolutely fantastic night rockin’ along to the Status Quo tribute band Break the Rules 🤘🎸 They were even joined by original Quo drummer John Coghlan for a couple of numbers! 🥁 Went with my Dad and it was brilliant. (We reckon we’ve seen the original Quo 20+ times together!!)
November 9, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Absolutely fantastic night rockin’ along to the Status Quo tribute band Break the Rules 🤘🎸 They were even joined by original Quo drummer John Coghlan for a couple of numbers! 🥁 Went with my Dad and it was brilliant. (We reckon we’ve seen the original Quo 20+ times together!!)
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
Bonjour, fellow medievalists! I'm very pleased to announce a conference on Beowulf next March at the @cema-su.bsky.social Sorbonne. I have the honour of joining Francis Leneghan in giving one of the keynotes. Link below has the CFP and registration info, please spread the word!
cemasorbonne.org
cemasorbonne.org
(no title)
CEMA
cemasorbonne.org
November 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Bonjour, fellow medievalists! I'm very pleased to announce a conference on Beowulf next March at the @cema-su.bsky.social Sorbonne. I have the honour of joining Francis Leneghan in giving one of the keynotes. Link below has the CFP and registration info, please spread the word!
cemasorbonne.org
cemasorbonne.org
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
Would any successful Bodleian visiting fellow recipients be willing to share their application materials with me? Especially if medieval/early modern. Ta!
November 8, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Would any successful Bodleian visiting fellow recipients be willing to share their application materials with me? Especially if medieval/early modern. Ta!
Ooh I like this!
'Neither poet, poem nor reader is led into a closed room, but a play area for imaginative patterning.'
Carol Rumens on Éireann Lorsung's poem 'Simile', which was chosen as the Guardian's Poem of the Week this week!
Read the article:⬇️
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Carol Rumens on Éireann Lorsung's poem 'Simile', which was chosen as the Guardian's Poem of the Week this week!
Read the article:⬇️
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Poem of the week: Simile by Éireann Lorsung
An elegant reflection on experience and imagination complicates a very familiar figure of speech
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Ooh I like this!
Terrible news. Universities are being decimated.
'Music and modern foreign languages degrees are among courses being suspended at the University of Nottingham, with the institution saying it “cannot rely on additional income” from the coming tuition fee rises.' 1/3
Nottingham suspends music, language and nursing courses
University says financial uncertainties continue as government’s proposed student levy will ‘wipe out any benefits’ from rising tuition fees
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Terrible news. Universities are being decimated.
HWÆT! My annual repost of the Lego Battle of Maldon with Old English subtitles ⚔️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuxv...
The Battle of Maldon (Subtitled Version)
YouTube video by DTGProductions
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:54 PM
HWÆT! My annual repost of the Lego Battle of Maldon with Old English subtitles ⚔️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuxv...
🤭😆
November 6, 2025 at 5:50 PM
🤭😆
Such a lovely surprise parcel from Backlisted listener Cindy Vincent! Julian of Norwich postcard, dragon brooch, beautifully crocheted gifts made by Cindy’s daughter… on brand or what! 🔥 The @backlisted.bsky.social family are the best!! 🥰
November 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Such a lovely surprise parcel from Backlisted listener Cindy Vincent! Julian of Norwich postcard, dragon brooch, beautifully crocheted gifts made by Cindy’s daughter… on brand or what! 🔥 The @backlisted.bsky.social family are the best!! 🥰
Attention @guildmedmak.bsky.social! Look forward to reading this, Nik!
New post up: a translation of Hallfreðr "troublesome poet" Óttarson's conversion verses.
If genuine, they provide an amazing insight into a Viking Age pagan grappling with a change in religion.
nikolasgunn.co.uk/2025/11/03/p...
If genuine, they provide an amazing insight into a Viking Age pagan grappling with a change in religion.
nikolasgunn.co.uk/2025/11/03/p...
November 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Attention @guildmedmak.bsky.social! Look forward to reading this, Nik!
It was a pleasure to read some of my Grendel’s Mother poems at Univ’s Poetry Share-In last night in hall! 🩵
November 4, 2025 at 7:24 AM
It was a pleasure to read some of my Grendel’s Mother poems at Univ’s Poetry Share-In last night in hall! 🩵
Thank you so much, Susie! So looking forward to our readings and discussion together on 16 Nov at Blackwells! Link for free tickets below 👇
Showcasing @drlauravarnam.bsky.social my brilliant guest at Oxford Blackwell's Wastelands launch Nov 16 3pm. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1668864280...)
Laura is Lecturer in Old & Middle English Literature at University College, Oxford. Her poetry is inspired by the medieval texts that she teaches.
Laura is Lecturer in Old & Middle English Literature at University College, Oxford. Her poetry is inspired by the medieval texts that she teaches.
November 4, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Thank you so much, Susie! So looking forward to our readings and discussion together on 16 Nov at Blackwells! Link for free tickets below 👇
Ooh this sounds great! Been meaning to read the book since I heard the @backlisted.bsky.social episode! www.backlisted.fm/episodes/142...
November 4, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Ooh this sounds great! Been meaning to read the book since I heard the @backlisted.bsky.social episode! www.backlisted.fm/episodes/142...
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
Horatio: goodnight, sweet prince...🥲
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
I do love Horatio, the best of Shakespeare's many friends... Stephen Dillane as Horatio in Hamlet, dir. Zeffirelli, 1990. Also, Milton liked this bit (of course he did, the angels❤️) in the @freelibrary.bsky.social folio.
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
I do love Horatio, the best of Shakespeare's many friends... Stephen Dillane as Horatio in Hamlet, dir. Zeffirelli, 1990. Also, Milton liked this bit (of course he did, the angels❤️) in the @freelibrary.bsky.social folio.
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Horatio: goodnight, sweet prince...🥲
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
I do love Horatio, the best of Shakespeare's many friends... Stephen Dillane as Horatio in Hamlet, dir. Zeffirelli, 1990. Also, Milton liked this bit (of course he did, the angels❤️) in the @freelibrary.bsky.social folio.
www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/slo...
I do love Horatio, the best of Shakespeare's many friends... Stephen Dillane as Horatio in Hamlet, dir. Zeffirelli, 1990. Also, Milton liked this bit (of course he did, the angels❤️) in the @freelibrary.bsky.social folio.
So thrilled with this wonderful artwork gifted to me by my former student Raven! The first inspired by Julian of Norwich’s hazelnut vision and the second by the dragon in Beowulf! Check out Raven’s Etsy shop (and follow @ imitatio.artistry on Instagram!) www.etsy.com/shop/imitati...
November 2, 2025 at 10:55 AM
So thrilled with this wonderful artwork gifted to me by my former student Raven! The first inspired by Julian of Norwich’s hazelnut vision and the second by the dragon in Beowulf! Check out Raven’s Etsy shop (and follow @ imitatio.artistry on Instagram!) www.etsy.com/shop/imitati...
V intrigued by this!
Reading this book, in which the protagonist details her strange experiences in the afterlife. At one point, she is walking through a store now underwater. “The Sound of Silence” still plays on the speaker; she says, “It warbles in the murk.”
What a perfect, clean, precise sentence.
What a perfect, clean, precise sentence.
November 2, 2025 at 8:05 AM
V intrigued by this!
Do it! It’s a wonderful book! ✨
Hey, Portland Oregon!
I'm visiting your fine city and took advantage of this opportunity to drop 6 signed copies of BeaWolf (and one of Augie and the Green Knight) at @powells.bsky.social
If you are around, you can try to get one before they're all gone!
Cc: @zachweinersmith.bsky.social
I'm visiting your fine city and took advantage of this opportunity to drop 6 signed copies of BeaWolf (and one of Augie and the Green Knight) at @powells.bsky.social
If you are around, you can try to get one before they're all gone!
Cc: @zachweinersmith.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Do it! It’s a wonderful book! ✨
This sounds bloody brilliant, Una! @backlisted.bsky.social fans, check it out! Can’t wait to listen!
November 1, 2025 at 8:39 PM
This sounds bloody brilliant, Una! @backlisted.bsky.social fans, check it out! Can’t wait to listen!
Seconded! This is a brilliant documentary 👌✨
November 1, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Seconded! This is a brilliant documentary 👌✨
Medievalism in the wild! (My friend is a big Florence fan and texted me about this with great excitement!)
Julian of Norwich spotted on the new Florence and the Machine album:
![A screenshot of lyrics:
Downloading "Revelations of Divine Love" on my phone
Trying to read, but getting distracted
Trying to live, but feeling so damaged
[Chorus]
And all shall be well
All shall be well
Miracles are often inconvenient
And a prayer is a spell](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lgpith2upngzgh7cy5jygl3f/bafkreieh57sqvnqdgnlqonlfudqxd3h2ov7val5udpj4ybww5ltrlczqxe@jpeg)
November 1, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Medievalism in the wild! (My friend is a big Florence fan and texted me about this with great excitement!)
Reposted by Dr Laura Varnam
My latest for @theguardian.com; very fortunate to look at new books by Sarah Howe, Joelle Taylor, Nikita Gill, Phoebe Giannisi, and the return of Tom Paulin: www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
The best recent poetry – review roundup
Namanlagh by Tom Paulin; Foretokens by Sarah Howe; Maryville by Joelle Taylor; Hekate by Nikita Gill; Goatsong by Phoebe Giannisi
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:07 PM
My latest for @theguardian.com; very fortunate to look at new books by Sarah Howe, Joelle Taylor, Nikita Gill, Phoebe Giannisi, and the return of Tom Paulin: www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
My #BacklistedBrontëBookstack! (Try saying that in a hurry!). With special shout-out for Claire O’Callaghan’s Emily Brontë Reappraised. Plus my #TeamBranwell badge! @backlisted.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 7:46 AM
My #BacklistedBrontëBookstack! (Try saying that in a hurry!). With special shout-out for Claire O’Callaghan’s Emily Brontë Reappraised. Plus my #TeamBranwell badge! @backlisted.bsky.social
Such a fantastic point about medium/s, Rachel! That’s it exactly 👌👻
This is wonderful. Brilliant guests and discussion. Have always thought the novel is so much about medium/s: narrators as mediums, the voicing and summoning of others, including the dead. A perfect Halloween listen
Hallowe'en special up now. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, with guests Andrew Male and Laura Varnam in conversation with Una McCormack and Andy Miller. 🌬️🎃🧟 @andrewmale.bsky.social @drlauravarnam.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/0Zde...
open.spotify.com/episode/0Zde...
October 31, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Such a fantastic point about medium/s, Rachel! That’s it exactly 👌👻