Aelfric and the Cult of Saints in Late Anglo-Saxon England |
|
| Author:
| Gretsch, Mechthild |
| Series title: | Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England Ser. |
| ISBN: | 978-0-521-09307-1 |
| Publication Date: | Jan 2009 |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press
|
| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $48.99 |
Book Description:
|
The cult of saints was one of the most important aspects of life in the Middle Ages, and it often formed the nucleus of developing group identities in a town, a province or a country. The literature of Anglo-Saxon England is unique among contemporary European literatures in that it features a vast amount of saints' Lives in the vernacular. Aelfric is the most important author of these Lives. In this study, Mechthild Gretsch analyzes Aelfric's Lives of five important saints in the light...
More DescriptionThe cult of saints was one of the most important aspects of life in the Middle Ages, and it often formed the nucleus of developing group identities in a town, a province or a country. The literature of Anglo-Saxon England is unique among contemporary European literatures in that it features a vast amount of saints' Lives in the vernacular. Aelfric is the most important author of these Lives. In this study, Mechthild Gretsch analyzes Aelfric's Lives of five important saints in the light of their cults in Anglo-Saxon England.