The Monstrous Middle Ages

by Bildhauer, Bettina; Mills, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780708318218
• ISBN10: 0708318215
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-11-23
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

"The essays in this collection explore the concept of medieval monstrosity from a variety of perspectives, considering both the representation of literal monsters (devils, dragons, and demons) and the consumption and exploitation of monstrous metaphors in everyday contexts. By examining the symbolic function of monsters in a wide range of aspects of medieval culture-art, literature, religion, and history-these essays draw important conclusions about the political, ethical, social, and spiritual uses to which monstrosity was put in this period."

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Notes on Contributors
Abbreviations
Introduction: Conceptualizing the Monstrous	p. 1
Jesus as Monster	p. 28
Monstrous Masculinities in Julian of Norwich's: A Revelation of Love and The Book of Margery Kempe	p. 55
Blood, Jews and Monsters in Medieval Culture	p. 75
The Other Close at Hand: Gerald of Wales and the 'Marvels of the West'	p. 97
Idols and Simulacra: Paganity, Hybridity and Representation in Mandeville's Travels	p. 113
Demonizing the Night in Medieval Europe: A Temporal Monstrosity?	p. 134
Apocalyptic Monsters: Animal Inspirations for the Iconography of Medieval North European Devourers	p. 155
Hell on Earth: Encountering Devils in the Medieval Landscape	p. 177
Encountering the Monstrous: Saints and Dragons in Medieval Thought	p. 196
Further Reading	p. 219
Index	p. 227
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.