Rasmus Vangshardt

Rasmus Vangshardt is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Literature, Area Studies and European Languages (ILoS) within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oslo. His research spans multiple literary traditions with a particular focus on Early Modern European literature, philosophical dimensions of literature, and theological intersections with literary works.

His research interests include Early Modern Europe; Philosophy and Literature; Theology and Literature; German-Nordic Literary Culture c. 1900; Comparative Literature; Spanish Literature; German Literature; and English Literature. Vangshardt's work often explores the theatrum mundi concept across different historical periods and cultural contexts, examining how literary works engage with philosophical and theological frameworks.

Vangshardt has recently published his monograph Pedro Calderón de la Barca and the World Theatre in Early Modern Europe: The Theatrum Mundi of Celebration (De Gruyter/MiP 2024), which represents a significant contribution to Early Modern literary studies. His research output demonstrates consistent engagement with Spanish Golden Age literature, particularly Calderón de la Barca, while maintaining a comparative perspective that connects Spanish, German, and Nordic literary traditions.

• Book: Pedro Calderón de la Barca and the World Theatre in Early Modern Europe: The Theatrum Mundi of Celebration (2024)
• Book: Livets febrile hemmeligheder. Et litterært slægtskab mellem Henrik Pontoppidan og Thomas Mann (2017)
• Edited Volume: HISTORIES. Early Modern Historical Drama 1550-1650 (forthcoming)
• Edited Volume: Polyfemos. Festschrift in Honour of Christian Høgel (2024)

Vangshardt's scholarly activities extend to international conferences, with recent presentations at institutions including University of Oxford, UCL London, and the Renaissance Society of America. His work bridges historical literary analysis with contemporary theoretical concerns, particularly regarding crisis narratives, theatrical metaphors, and historical consciousness in Early Modern literature.