About
Dr. Mark Griffith is the Richard Ellmann Tutorial Fellow at New College, University of Oxford, within the Faculty of English Language & Literature. His research focuses on Old English poetry, particularly its linguistic and metrical structures, stylistic features, and literary merits. He has published extensively on topics such as poetic meter, textual analysis, and the interplay between prosody and creative freedom in Old English verse. Current projects include an edition of the Old English Metrical Psalms with Jane Toswell, under contract with the University of Arizona Press. His work bridges empirical linguistic analysis and close literary reading, emphasizing the aesthetic qualities of Old English poetry often overlooked in modern scholarship. He has contributed to landmark editions like The Old English Boethius and Judith, advocating for a renewed appreciation of the artistry in these texts. His affiliations extend to New College, where he holds a fixed-term academic position.
Griffith’s research interests include the evolution of poetic meter, the relationship between oral and written traditions, and the stylistic innovations within Old English literature. He has examined divine voice registers in Genesis A and the development of poetic 'rank.' His recent work (2022–2024) explores the Battle of Maldon, Ælfric’s Genesis preface, and Beowulf’s metrical indices. Despite no listed awards, his contributions to medieval philology and textual scholarship are widely recognized in academic circles.
He advises no current students listed, though his mentorship through tutorials at New College is central to his role. Grants or lab affiliations are not explicitly mentioned in the provided texts.
