Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #455909 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03
• Original language: French
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 179 pages

Customer Reviews

A spirited defence of a much maligned period
In this book Regine Pernoud briskly disposes of the myths about the MiddleAges. She vigorously attacks the notion that the people of medieval timeswere ignorant and credulous compared to those who came after in theso-called 'Renaissance'. She shows how untrue it is that medieval peoplewere ignorant of classical learning, that on the contrary the were wellacquainted with the ancient writers, but unlike the people of the'REnaissance' did not feel a need to copy them slavishly. We learn alsothat much of what is believed about the medieval peasants is untrue, theywer not nearly as oppressed as they became in later centuries. The chapterabout medieval women is particularly interesting, Regine Pernoud discussesthe powerful and influential women of the Middle Ages, particularly thewomen of religious orders, who often wielded enormous power. She writesof the many women who were engaged in business, often independently oftheir husbands, and who led far more liberated lives than we imagine. Some of what she writes is applicable only to France (fortunately, wenever had the loathsome Code Napoleon here, for instance), but much of itis relevent to Britain as well. This book was first published nearlythirty years ago, and hopefully nowadays people are not as ill-informed onthe period as they seem to have been when it came out, but it still makesfascinating reading. I was particularly astonished by the bit about themedieval mystery plays, which in France were stamped out due to thejealousy of the professional theatre, actors of the 'Renaissance' hatedthe idea of 'common people' putting on plays.This is an enthralling book.