What makes the identity?

[Genichka]

In my opinion traditional customs influence more on the identity in the early modern societies than the religion and corporation appliance. Could You agree with me?

[Amber]

I think you are absolutely correct. Cultural traditions are what we "learn" first as humans, and for the most part, those include some sort of religious identity, but overall it does seem that the influence of tradition and community plays more in the development of the individual in early modern society. Tradition is what was already in place, and over time it becomes labeled as other things (such as religion) but it is really just what a group of people has always practiced and believed.

[Annemarie]

I liked what this book said about self-fashioning an identity. Natalie Zemon Davis wrote a really eloquent and brilliant analysis of female agency/power in the Basque region using this folktale/court document as a setting. She argues that Bertrand is the main character as she was an author in "new Martin's" creation of his identity. Pretty interesting read. My grad class this last semester read this book and we all enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Amber]

I read it for grad school as well, a class on early modern europe...I enjoyed it quite a bit.