How did medieval people view the world? What did they make of natural events such as lunar or solar eclipses? Did they really believe in witches and dragons? These and many other questions are the focus of Robert Bartlett’s study of how people viewed the world in the Middle Ages.
Dragons and Dog-Heads
The author explores the medieval world, viewed through the eyes of both ordinary people and specialized thinkers, such as scholars and theologians. Through a study of medieval texts, including letters and law codes, he attempts to unravel the beliefs held by men and women in the Middle Ages.
Creatures such as dragons and dog-heads may seem the stuff of science fiction, but as the author explains, a study of medieval documents shows that people saw the existence of these creatures as a real and genuine worry. Medieval missionaries even pondered about whether it would be possible to convert a dog-headed creature to Christianity, and whether such a creature would have a soul.
Witchcraft in the Middle Ages
The fear of magic was a strong one during the Middle Ages and this is one of the subjects Bartlett covers in his quest to understand the medieval mind. He cites various medieval laws and statutes which reveal a real fear of the power that witches and magicians might have held.
A series of Hungarian laws issued around the year 1000 referred to witchcraft as a genuine danger in that society and something which needed to be punished. The author finds that there was a confusion throughout the medieval period about whether witches were simply a superstition, or real and malevolent beings who needed to be punished.
Medieval Knowledge
Through his explorations of beliefs during the Middle Ages, Bartlett also reveals how much medieval people did actually know. Natural processes such as solar and lunar eclipses were already understood. The extent of knowledge already held during this age is remarkable, considering the limitations of travel and comparative lack of access to maps and books.
This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the medieval period. It is a little different from standard history texts, in that the author tries to understand the thought processes of people in medieval times. There is plenty to think about, even after the book is finished.
The Author: Robert Bartlett
Robert Bartlett is professor of Mediaeval History at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. His previous publications include The Making of Europe (1993), England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings (2000) and The Hanged Man (2004).
Professor Bartlett was the host of the BBC Four series Inside the Medieval Mind.
Book Details
Bartlett, Robert The Natural and Supernatural in the Middle Ages [Cambridge University Press, April 2008]
ISBN 9780521702553 (paperback)
ISBN 9780521878326 (hardback)
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