The Monstrous Middle Ages

by Bettina Bildhauer (Editor), Robert Mills (Editor)

The figure of the monster in medieval culture functions as a vehicle for a range of intellectual and spiritual inquiries, from questions of language and representation to issues of moral, theological, and cultural value. Monstrosity is bound up with questions of body image and deformity, nature and knowledge, hybridity and horror. To explore a culture's attitudes to the monstrous is to comprehend one of its most important symbolic tools. The Monstrous Middle Ages looks at both the representation of literal monsters and the consumption and exploitation of monstrous metaphors in a wide variety of high and late-medieval cultural productions, from travel writings and mystical texts to sermons, manuscript illuminations and maps. Individual essays explore the ways in which monstrosity shaped the construction of gender and sexual identity, religious symbolism, and social prejudice in the Middle Ages. Reading the Middle Ages through its monsters provides an opportunity to view medieval culture from fresh perspectives. The Monstrous Middle Ages will be essential reading for anyone interested in the concept of monstrosity and its significance for both medieval cultural production and contemporary critical practice.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Medieval, Monsters, Art History, Art, Literary Criticism

210 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2003

About the author

Professor Bettina M. Bildhauer is a lecturer in German at the University of St. Andrews

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The least of the essays in this collection at least supported things I already knew about medieval representations of monsters with interesting examples. The best, however, were really eye opening, discussing broader issues of monstrosity's role in medieval culture while also examining such fascinating issues as three-headed representations of Christ and whether or not Jewish men menstruate (Spoiler alert for any medical racists reading this: they don't).

[Mert Ali Akcan]

Having read only the Introduction: Conceptualizing the Monstrous, i understand the brief view of monstrous and the medieval culture and its complexity of understanding a 'demonic' being, human and the "other". Bildhauer and Mills' this short and brief introduction to the edition is significant in reading the Medieval works such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and more. I enjoyed reading it, but i do not know if i could find the time to read the whole edition.

[Highlyeccentric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good intro; quite surprised to find how old it is.