Memory and Identity in the Medieval and Early Modern World

Memory and identity are closely linked in both past and modern societies. This volume of essays explores the complex interplay of memory and identity in medieval and early modern European contexts, focusing on key works such as the Old English Soliloquies, Old Norse kings sagas, medieval Serbian hagiographies, Havelok the Dane, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Chaucer's Book of the Duchess, Troilus and Criseyde, Adam Scriveyn, Elizabethan translations of the Psalms, John Stearnes' Confirmation and Discovery of Witchcraft, and seventeenth-century portraiture. The research offers valuable insights into the centrality of memory to medieval and early modern constructions of political, religious, and national identities and points up future avenues for scholarly investigation.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2022
Publisher: Peter Lang International Academic Publishers

In both past and modern societies, the concepts of memory and identity have been intricately intertwined, forming a vital and essential pathway for self-discovery, self-expression, and self-knowledge. Memory, with its remarkable ability to recollect and reflect, is perceived as a central conduit for understanding the physical and spiritual realms. It becomes integral to identity itself, as the intricate process of collective and individual recollection and commemoration shapes and constructs cultural, political, national, religious, and gender identities.

This volume of essays delves into the intricate interplay of memory and identity in the medieval and early modern European context. It presents its findings under five thematic headings: "The Poetics of Memory and Heroic Identity," "Cultural Memory and National Identities," "Emotional Identities," "Nota Bene: The Craft of Memory and Corrective Instruction," and "Memorialising Protestant Identities in Early Modern England." Contributions explore the construction of memory and identity in a range of significant works, including the Old English Soliloquies, the Old Norse kings sagas Morkinskinna and Heimskringla, medieval Serbian hagiographies, Havelok the Dane, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Chaucer's Book of the Duchess, Troilus and Criseyde, and Adam Scriveyn.

The research presented in this volume offers invaluable insights into the centrality of memory to medieval and early modern constructions of political, religious, and national identities. It highlights the need for further scholarly investigation into these complex phenomena, opening up new avenues for exploration and understanding.

In conclusion, the relationship between memory and identity is a profound and multifaceted one, shaping our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. This volume of essays provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of this dynamic interplay, shedding light on the ways in which memory contributes to the construction and representation of identities across different historical and cultural contexts.

Weight: 402g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788744706
Edition number: New ed