Writing the World in Early Medieval England

The early medieval English were diverse and connected to a broader world, with interests in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and drew ideas from textual sources and their own travels. They also imagined geographies that veered into the fantastic and vividly depicted hell, purgatory, and heaven.

Format: Hardback
Publication date: 28 September 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The early medieval English were a vibrant and interconnected society, deeply connected to a broader world. Their writings, spanning various genres such as chronicles, histories, poetry, homilies, saints' lives, and maps, revealed a profound interest in Europe, Asia, and Africa, while firmly establishing themselves within Christian Europe. These writers drew upon a wealth of textual sources to enrich their understanding and supplemented their ideas with personal experiences and encounters with visitors from diverse cultures. Their narratives extended from the British Isles to their near neighbors in Scandinavia, reaching as far as Jerusalem, North Africa, and India. Additionally, they ventured into imaginative geographies, depicting fantastical realms and vividly illustrating concepts such as hell, purgatory, and heaven. This Element offers valuable insights into the early medieval English, highlighting their active engagement with various parts of the world and the enduring impact of the connections and divisions they established.

The early medieval English were a diverse and interconnected society, deeply connected to a broader world. Their writings, spanning various genres such as chronicles, histories, poetry, homilies, saints' lives, and maps, revealed a profound interest in Europe, Asia, and Africa, while firmly establishing themselves within Christian Europe. These writers drew upon a wealth of textual sources to enrich their understanding and supplemented their ideas with personal experiences and encounters with visitors from diverse cultures. Their narratives extended from the British Isles to their near neighbors in Scandinavia, reaching as far as Jerusalem, North Africa, and India. Additionally, they ventured into imaginative geographies, depicting fantastical realms and vividly illustrating concepts such as hell, purgatory, and heaven. This Element offers valuable insights into the early medieval English, highlighting their active engagement with various parts of the world and the enduring impact of the connections and divisions they established.

Weight: 274g
Dimension: 159 x 237 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009454353