“…not as history, but…”
What is a historical text, and what are the differences between such a text and other written genres? This question has occupied modern scholars of medieval Europe, medieval European authors themselves, and many others. Prompted by recent scholarship into the benefits, or otherwise, of trying to iso...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Instituto de Estudos Medievais
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Medievalista |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/medievalista/6974 |
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| author | Elizabeth Freeman |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Freeman |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Freeman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What is a historical text, and what are the differences between such a text and other written genres? This question has occupied modern scholars of medieval Europe, medieval European authors themselves, and many others. Prompted by recent scholarship into the benefits, or otherwise, of trying to isolate distinct genres within what one scholar has referred to as “the whole mass of medieval historiography”, this article examines the so-called “historical” texts composed by the medieval English Cistercian abbot Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167). None of these seven texts fits into the classic genre of the history, and yet the article argues that all are indeed historiographical texts. Aelred wrote all these works while he was abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, and the article suggests that Aelred’s experiences and responsibilities as abbot gave him both the skills to combine many literary genres – vita, genealogy, lament, relatio, translatio, exemplum, sermon, letter – when writing about the past as well as the desire to combine such genres so as to provide his readers with models of hope, and occasionally stern advice, from the past to use in the future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1c2b98494e7343b8932f5b68135a7b52 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1646-740X |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Instituto de Estudos Medievais |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medievalista |
| spelling | doaj-art-1c2b98494e7343b8932f5b68135a7b522025-01-30T10:53:10ZdeuInstituto de Estudos MedievaisMedievalista1646-740X2023-07-013410.4000/medievalista.6974“…not as history, but…”Elizabeth FreemanWhat is a historical text, and what are the differences between such a text and other written genres? This question has occupied modern scholars of medieval Europe, medieval European authors themselves, and many others. Prompted by recent scholarship into the benefits, or otherwise, of trying to isolate distinct genres within what one scholar has referred to as “the whole mass of medieval historiography”, this article examines the so-called “historical” texts composed by the medieval English Cistercian abbot Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167). None of these seven texts fits into the classic genre of the history, and yet the article argues that all are indeed historiographical texts. Aelred wrote all these works while he was abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, and the article suggests that Aelred’s experiences and responsibilities as abbot gave him both the skills to combine many literary genres – vita, genealogy, lament, relatio, translatio, exemplum, sermon, letter – when writing about the past as well as the desire to combine such genres so as to provide his readers with models of hope, and occasionally stern advice, from the past to use in the future.https://journals.openedition.org/medievalista/6974Aelred of RievaulxGenreMiddle Ages HistoriographyHistorians – England – History – to 1500Literary Criticism – Medieval Europe |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Freeman “…not as history, but…” Medievalista Aelred of Rievaulx Genre Middle Ages Historiography Historians – England – History – to 1500 Literary Criticism – Medieval Europe |
| title | “…not as history, but…” |
| title_full | “…not as history, but…” |
| title_fullStr | “…not as history, but…” |
| title_full_unstemmed | “…not as history, but…” |
| title_short | “…not as history, but…” |
| title_sort | not as history but |
| topic | Aelred of Rievaulx Genre Middle Ages Historiography Historians – England – History – to 1500 Literary Criticism – Medieval Europe |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/medievalista/6974 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elizabethfreeman notashistorybut |