Envisaging Heaven In The Middle Ages

by Muessig; Carolyn

• ISBN13: 9780415383837
• ISBN10: 0415383838
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-10-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Envisaging Heaven in the Middle Agesconsiders medieval notions of heaven in theological and mystical writings; in visions of the otherworld; and in medieval arts such as drama, poetry, music and vernacular literature. The volume considers the influence of images and visions of heaven on the secular literature by some of the greatest writers of the period, such as Chretien de Troyes and Chaucer. The coherence and beauty of these notions make heaven one of the most impressive medieval cathedrals of the mind. The book shows that the idea of heaven in the Middle Ages was as varied as those who wrote about it, and reveals the extent to which the Christian afterlife was (as it is today) a projection of human hopes and fears. The book also reveals the extent to which the Christian afterlife was (as it is today) a projection of human hopes and fears. Because "the reality" of heaven was one based on speculation, as well as fancy, medieval heavens were products both of ingenious thoughtand of creative, wishful imagination. With contributions from such experts as Peter Dronke, Robin Kirkpatrick, Peter Meredith, Bernard McGinn, Barbara Newman and A.C. Spearing, this collection will be essential reading for all those interested in medieval religion and culture.

Table of Contents

List of plates	viii
List of contributors	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xii
List of abbreviations	xiii
PART I Introduction	1	(12)
1 Envisaging heaven: an introduction	3	(10)
CAROLYN MUESSIG AND AD PUTTER
PART II The theology of heaven	13	(60)
2 Visio dei: seeing God in medieval theology and mysticism	15	(19)
BERNARD McGINN
3 Constructing heaven in Hildegard of Bingen's Expositiones euangeliorum	34	(10)
BEVERLY MAYNE KIENZLE
4 The completeness of heaven	44	(13)
PETER DRONKE
5 Heaven, earth and the angels: preaching paradise in the sermons of Jacques de Vitry	57	(16)
CAROLYN MUESSIG
PART III Mystical and visionary traditions	73	(64)
6 Access to heaven in medieval visions of the otherworld	75	(16)
ROBERT EASTING
7 Bringing heaven down to earth: beguine constructions of heaven	91	(17)
MARY SUYDAM
8 Von Aller Bilden Bildlosekeit: the trouble with images of heaven in the works of Henry Suso	108	(12)
STEVEN ROZENSKI, JR
9 Marguerite Porete: courtliness and transcendence in The Mirror of Simple Souls	120	(17)
A.C. SPEARING
PART IV The art of heaven	137	(70)
10 'Some high place': actualising heaven in the Middle Ages	139	(16)
PETER MEREDITH
11 Heaven as performance and participation in the Symphonic armonie celestium revelutionum of Hildegard of Bingen	155	(11)
STEPHEN D'EVELYN
12 Afterlives now: a study of Paradiso canto 28	166	(19)
ROBIN KIRKPATRICK
13 The artifice of eternity: speaking of heaven in three medieval poems	185	(22)
BARBARA NEWMAN
PART V Vernacular appropriations	207	(45)
14 Exchanging blood for wine: envisaging heaven in Irish bardic poetry	209	(13)
SALVADOR RYAN
15 Chaucer's lovers in metaphorical heaven	222	(15)
ELIZABETH ARCHIBALD
16 The influence of visions of the otherworld on some medieval romances	237	(15)
AD PUTTER
Index	252