| Description |
xiii, 247 pages ; 24 cm |
| Contents |
Foreword / Jana Howlett -- Pt. I. Methodology -- 1. Historical anthropology and the science of history -- 2. Medieval culture and mentalite according to the new French historiography -- 3. Oral and written culture of the Middle Ages: two 'peasant visions' of the late twelfth to the early thirteenth centuries -- 4. Perceptions of the individual and the hereafter in the Middle Ages -- 5. The west portal of the Church of St Lazare in Autun: the paradoxes of the medieval mind -- Pt. II. Case Studies -- 6. Saga and history: the 'historical conception' of Snorri Sturluson -- 7. The Tale of Thorstein Goose-Pimples, the underworld and Icelandic humour -- 8. On heroes, things, gods and laughter in Germanic poetry -- 9. Wealth and gift-bestowal among the ancient Scandinavians -- 10. Edda and law: commentary on Hyndlolioth -- 11. Semantics of the medieval community: 'farmstead', 'land', 'world' |
| Summary |
"Aaron Gurevich has long been considered one of the world's leading medievalists and a pioneer in the field of historical anthropology. This book brings together eleven of his most important essays - many difficult to find and some never before available in English." "Gurevich's writing, while informed by the history of mentalities as practiced by the French school of Le Goff and Duby, reflects a broader view of European culture outside France. He rejects reductionist concepts and operates with a total view of culture, using a wide range of sources - legal as well as ecclesiastical, popular as well as learned, oral and visual as well as literary." "This collection amply demonstrates this breadth of Gurevich's work and highlights his ability to synthesize historical, anthropological, and semiotic approaches to culture. Especially valuable are pieces such as Gurevich's essay Wealth and Gift Bestowal Among the Ancient Scandinavians, about the importance of gift exchange in the medieval world. One of the first studies of this practice, this classic essay has for years been unavailable. Other pieces range from the deities and heroes of Germanic poetry to the image of the Beyond In the Middle Ages."--BOOK JACKET |
| Analysis |
Western Europe History |
| Notes |
Translated from Russian |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [228]-237) and index |
| Subject |
Civilization, Medieval.
|
|
Civilization -- history.
|
| Author |
Howlett, Jana.
|
| LC no. |
56000696 |
| ISBN |
0745606962 |
|
