For several years now, the IMFF has been offering exciting lectures for members and interested parties at the University of Bremen. The IMFF is located in Department 10, and employees from various departments work together on an interdisciplinary basis within the institute. The lectures cover topics from before the 16th century, which are selected by the IMFF based on interest. The members of the IMFF strive to determine diverse and varied topics for the lecture series. In the past, lecture series on the topics of “On the Way to America” and “Encounters with the Foreign” have been offered.
This year's lecture series “Islands as Places of Encounter in the Pre-Modern Era” is embedded in the seminar of the same name and comprises three lectures. The lecture by PD Dr. Kerth deals with islands in the sea as depicted in stories.
Why the focus on “islands in the sea as depicted in stories”?
Sonja Kerth's interest in islands in the sea is linked to the field of research known as Blue Humanities. In this context, she received a call for papers from England, whereupon she participated in a conference there. Blue Humanities analyzes various manifestations of water as historical, cultural, and ecological contact zones. From a historical perspective, it can be said that water has always served as a route for travel, escape, and transport, and has provided space for different habitats. Against this backdrop, islands, as land masses surrounded by water, come into particular focus.
Islands are more than just geographical locations
A tropical vacation paradise, the beauty of seclusion. That is what islands are associated with today. But that was not always the case. In her lecture, Dr. Kerth explains three perspectives on islands in literary works. To do so, she presents three works from different centuries and highlights the different ways of viewing islands in the sea.
'Erec' by Hartmann von Aue
The first literary perspective presented refers to the work ‘Erec’ by Hartmann von Aue, written around 1180. This work tells the story of the young knight Erec. He falls in love with a young woman and subsequently neglects his courtly duties. These failings greatly embarrass Erec, which is why he decides to restore his honor through adventures. During one of these adventures, he arrives with the young woman Enite at Brandigan Castle, which is protected by water and has a paradisiacal tree garden. The water surrounds the castle and the tree garden. The water at the foot of the castle is described as a rushing river that plunges into the depths through a gorge. Looking into the gorge, one has the feeling of looking into hell. Nevertheless, Erec decides to ride into the castle and the tree garden. There he fights the knight who lives there and defeats him. He then leaves the castle and continues his adventure.
'Utopia' by Thomas More
The second literary perspective on fictional islands presented here is ‘Utopia’ by Thomas More, published in 1516. In this work, a Portuguese protagonist reaches the fantastical island of Utopia. Utopia is a timeless island populated by a human community. The distinctive feature of this community is the fundamental equality of all people. The island is protected from outside influence, but the Utopians interact with other nations by practicing colonialism and enslaving people. Utopia was artificially created to isolate the community living there and create a perfect order. Thus, Utopia is a state experiment and serves as a counterpart to old England.
'The Island of the Day Before' by Umberto Eco
The third work is Umberto Eco's ‘The Island of the Day Before’ from 1995. The story is set in 1643 and is about Roberto, who boards a ship in Amsterdam. The ship capsizes and Roberto drifts to the stranded ship “Daphne.” There he meets the German explorer Caspar Wanderdrossel. Near the Daphne is an island. On this island, it is yesterday! This is explained by the fact that the 180th longitude runs between the ship and the island. So it is the island of the previous day. Caspar imagines the island as a paradise where all the riches of the earth can be found. He writes: “[...] As if all forms of life on that island had not been created by an architect or sculptor, but by a goldsmith [...]” (p. 302f.). Roberto then falls in love with the island.
It should be noted that the island described in Hartmann's “Eric” is portrayed as both paradisiacal and threatening. In contrast, the work “Utopia” presents a fantastical view of an island in the sea that contrasts with the real world. The third work, “Insel des vorigen Tages” (Island of the Previous Day), ties in again with the paradisiacal perspective in “Erec,” although here the inaccessibility of the island is also addressed. What all texts have in common is that the focus is on people and water plays only a subordinate role.
Islands in the discussion
In the lively discussion that followed the lecture, it became clear that all protagonists in medieval literature leave the islands at the end of the story. According to this, lingering on an island does not seem to have been a medieval concept. In addition, the changed perspective on islands in the Middle Ages and today was discussed, and the question was raised as to whether the view of islands changed during the Romantic period. These considerations make it clear that literary images of islands are historically changeable and are interpreted differently depending on the era.
Event tip
Dr. Anna Auguscik will offer another literary perspective on “Islands as places of encounter” on January 15, 2026. In her lecture, she will take a closer look at islands and satire in Jonathan Swift's “Gulliver's Travels.”
Lotte Schmid and Johanna Wagner are studying for a master's degree in primary school teaching with a major in German.
