The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven
To medieval contemplatives, the devil posed a clear spiritual threat to those seeking to be piously devoted to Jesus. To avoid the plotting of the devil, monastics were advised to pray and study the scriptures. This they did, not only by means of biblical manuscripts, but also medieval bestiaries, i...
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Universidad de Alicante
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://itaca.ua.es/article/view/28809 |
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| author | Jane Beal |
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| description | To medieval contemplatives, the devil posed a clear spiritual threat to those seeking to be piously devoted to Jesus. To avoid the plotting of the devil, monastics were advised to pray and study the scriptures. This they did, not only by means of biblical manuscripts, but also medieval bestiaries, in which the scriptures were incorporated alongside illustrative images, scientific information, and allegorical interpretation of the beasts of the world. Several beasts and birds were understood to signify aspects of the devil’s arsenal, especially his vices of deception, pride, and sin. These emerge from his nature as a fallen angel of light who is now ugly, wily, and ever hungry: he seeks to swallow men’s souls by entrapping them with earthly things, hypocrisy, and lust while simultaneously destroying their capacity for good judgement. The animals associated with the devil’s threat included the dragon, serpent, ape, whale, wolf, fox, hawk, partridge, and raven. A closer look at the representation and interpretation of these animals in the exemplary Aberdeen Bestiary can give readers a fuller sense of the spiritual struggle that medieval Christian contemplatives felt themselves to be in as well as the wisdom they used to combat and overcome the diabolical threat. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db13146db8dc4e4ab021155bb28cd742 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2172-5500 2386-4753 |
| language | Catalan |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Universidad de Alicante |
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| series | Ítaca |
| spelling | doaj-art-db13146db8dc4e4ab021155bb28cd7422025-08-20T02:33:43ZcatUniversidad de AlicanteÍtaca2172-55002386-47532025-04-011614918610.14198/itaca.2880937033The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and RavenJane Beal0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7738-898XUniversity of La VerneTo medieval contemplatives, the devil posed a clear spiritual threat to those seeking to be piously devoted to Jesus. To avoid the plotting of the devil, monastics were advised to pray and study the scriptures. This they did, not only by means of biblical manuscripts, but also medieval bestiaries, in which the scriptures were incorporated alongside illustrative images, scientific information, and allegorical interpretation of the beasts of the world. Several beasts and birds were understood to signify aspects of the devil’s arsenal, especially his vices of deception, pride, and sin. These emerge from his nature as a fallen angel of light who is now ugly, wily, and ever hungry: he seeks to swallow men’s souls by entrapping them with earthly things, hypocrisy, and lust while simultaneously destroying their capacity for good judgement. The animals associated with the devil’s threat included the dragon, serpent, ape, whale, wolf, fox, hawk, partridge, and raven. A closer look at the representation and interpretation of these animals in the exemplary Aberdeen Bestiary can give readers a fuller sense of the spiritual struggle that medieval Christian contemplatives felt themselves to be in as well as the wisdom they used to combat and overcome the diabolical threat.https://itaca.ua.es/article/view/28809aberdeen bestiarymedieval bestiarythreattemptationapedevildragonelephantfoxfalconlionpantherpartridgecrowsnakewolf |
| spellingShingle | Jane Beal The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven Ítaca aberdeen bestiary medieval bestiary threat temptation ape devil dragon elephant fox falcon lion panther partridge crow snake wolf |
| title | The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven |
| title_full | The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven |
| title_fullStr | The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven |
| title_short | The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven |
| title_sort | devil s threat in medieval bestiaries recognizing and resisting evil in the dragon serpent wolf fox ape whale hawk partridge and raven |
| topic | aberdeen bestiary medieval bestiary threat temptation ape devil dragon elephant fox falcon lion panther partridge crow snake wolf |
| url | https://itaca.ua.es/article/view/28809 |
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