Medieval Culture

The brief bibliographies following each introductory section are meant to suggest to the reader books of broad scope which should be available in most libraries and which constitute, in the editor’s opinion, worthwhile introductions to medieval social and cultural history.

A follow-up publication to the Handbook of Medieval Studies, this new reference work turns to a different focus: medieval culture.

This book considers how scientists, theologians, priests, and poets approached the relationship of the human body and ethics in the later Middle Ages. Is medicine merely a metaphor for sin? Or can certain kinds of bodies physiologically dispose people to be angry, sad, or greedy? If so, then is it their fault? Virginia Langum offers an account of the medical imagery used to describe feelings and actions in religious and literary contexts, referencing a variety of behavioral discussions within medical contexts.