J.D. Thayer, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of English

I am originally from California, but I have been living in Spokane and teaching at Gonzaga since 2002. I am a hiker, biker, tennis player, golfer and crossword puzzler. Academically speaking, I am a medievalist. My research focuses on Old English (think...

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Portrait of J.D. Thayer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English

Contact Information

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D., English, University of Oregon

M.A., English, California State University

B.A., English, California State University

Courses Taught

ENGL 102: Introduction to Literature

ENGL 106: World Mythology

ENGL 202: Studies in Fiction

ENGL 323: Medieval Lit: Rage and Romance

ENGL 420: Beowulf: In-Laws and Outlaws

ENGL 423: Chaucer

I am originally from California, but I have been living in Spokane and teaching at Gonzaga since 2002. I am a hiker, biker, tennis player, golfer and crossword puzzler. Academically speaking, I am a medievalist. My research focuses on Old English (think Beowulf) and Middle English (think Canterbury Tales); I also tend to look into Old Norse, Middle Welsh, and world mythologies. As an avid reader, in my off time I usually gravitate towards contemporary fiction. Some favorite authors are Ursula LeGuin, Margaret Atwood, and Kurt Vonnegut.

“The Summoner and His Panne.” The Explicator 74:4 2016. P. 206-209

Review. Introduction to Mythology, Oxford University Press, 2010.

“Resolving the ‘Double Curse’ of the Pagan Hoard in Beowulf.” The Explicator 66:3 2008. Pp. 174-177

“Nealles: The “Not at all” of Experimental Elegy in Beowulf.” In Geardagum. Volume 27, May 2007. Pp 33-53.

“Fractured Wisdom: The Gnomes of Beowulf.” English Language Notes. December 2003. Pp 1-18.

Nis þæt feor heonan: The Otherworld Next Door in Beowulf. Submitted to In Geardagum, Fall 2011.

Harvest: A Collection of Student Essays, University of Oregon Composition Program 2000-2001, Coeditor.

Componere: A Manual for Composition Instructors, University of Oregon Composition Program 1999, Coeditor.