Death in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times: The Material and Spiritual Conditions of the Culture of Death ed. by Albrecht Classen

A multidisciplinary exploration of death culture in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period reveals how premodern societies conceptualized mortality through material and spiritual practices. The study, featuring contributions from art history, history, literary studies, and drama, examines diverse representations—from heroic memorialization in Anglo-Saxon texts to the symbolic use of a false arch at Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, France, which exemplifies martyrdom. It also analyzes revenant folklore, cosmological iconography, and macabre imagery, including Chaucer’s satirical 'Pardoner’s Tale' and German estates satire, highlighting how death was ritualized, feared, or weaponized across centuries. The research employs chronological ordering to trace evolving attitudes toward mortality, blending textual analysis with material culture, offering a nuanced understanding of death's cultural resonance.

Gordon, S. (2018). Death in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times: The Material and Spiritual Conditions of the Culture of Death ed. by Albrecht Classen. Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, 13(1), 125–127. https://doi.org/10.1353/mrw.2018.0005