Cultures of Compunction in the Medieval World

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Description

Compunction was one of the most important emotions for medieval Christianity; in fact, through its confessional function, compunction became the primary means for an affective sinner to gain redemption. Cultures of Compunction in the Medieval World explores how such emotion could be expressed, experienced and performed in medieval European society. Using a range of disciplinary approaches including history, philosophy, art history, literary studies, performance studies and linguistics this book examines how and why emotions which now form the bedrock of modern western culture were idealized in the Middle Ages. By bringing together expertise across disciplines and medieval languages, this important book demonstrates the ubiquity and impact of compunction for medieval life and makes wider connections between devotional, secular and quotidian areas of experience.

Reviews

Ranging far geographically, temporally, and methodologically, this illuminating book demonstrates the varied roles compunction played not only in the languages, gestures, and feelings of medieval devotion but also in the conceptions and practices of its daily life. * Barbara H. Rosenwein, Professor Emerita, Loyola University Chicago, USA *
This fascinating re-examination of the strategies by which compunction is understood and expressed in the medieval arts provides comprehensive exploration of its subject that will appeal to anyone with an interest in emotions scholarship, whatever their discipline. * Frances McCormack, School of English and Creative Arts, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland *

Author Bio

Graham Williams is Senior Lecturer in the History of English at the University of Sheffield, UK. Charlotte Steenbrugge is Vice-Chancellor Fellow at the School of English, University of Sheffield, UK.