Suicide in the Middle Ages I: The Violent Against Themselves

Suicide in the Middle Ages #1

by Alexander Murray

The phrase "Suicide and the Middle Ages" sounds like a contradiction. Was life too short anyway, and the Church too disapproving, to admit suicide? And how is the historian supposed to find out? In addressing these questions Alexander Murray takes the reader on a remarkable odyssey through
medieval law, social life, literature, and religion. He examines a wide range of suicides and explores how the living reacted to them--a topic that will be examined in more detail in Volumes II and III of this masterly trilogy.

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction

510 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 1999

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, if I were some milky Gothic 11th grader, I'd carry this book around with me everywhere.

Top notch scholarship, fascinating anecdotes. Sometimes, a bit too source-finding (though I guess that is the point-) Not nearly as depressing as you'd think-

[Stephanie Molnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and very thorough history and social interpretation of suicide in England and Europe. Murray makes great use of the few primary sources available.

[JazzOwl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suicide in the Middle Ages: Volume 1: The Violent Against Themselves by Alexander Murray offers a thorough and immersive look into the titular issue of suicide in the Middle Ages. Covering the lands of England, France, "Germany", and Italy, Murray dives deep into judicial records, church records, miracle stories, and exempla to examine the instances of suicide in the medieval historical record. This book is a stunning display of documentary analysis, and Murray offers nuanced insight at every turn. Whether dissecting the minutiae of judicial politics in England or gauging the verisimilitude of miracle stories in Italy, Murray serves as a balanced guide through these dark, intimate moments of despair. I appreciated Murray's warning in the introduction, as this is a dire subject, and a few hundred pages recounting the desolation of individuals can leave a heaviness on the mind and soul. I enjoyed the book immensely, and I hope that Murray is able to finish the final book in this trilogy.