Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders

Sherry Lindquist, Asa Simon Mittman, China Miéville

Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars
4.00 · 1 ratings · 176 pages · Published: 12 Jun 2018
Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders by Sherry Lindquist, Asa Simon Mittman, China Miéville
Monsters possess transformative powers, rendering them at once profoundly dangerous and utterly fascinating. Medieval Monsters explores the cultural importance and rich variety of monstrosities in the art of the Middle Ages, with examples drawn from the Morgan Library & Museum's renowned collection of illuminated manuscripts. While presenting a lively array of strange beauties and frightful anomalies―demons and dragons, centaurs, and unicorns―the authors reveal how monsters played a central role in medieval societies. The volume has three sections. "Terrors" features familiar monsters such as demons, dragons, and hell-mouths. These fearful enemies are often depicted in battle with heroes―the fiercer the monster, the more powerful its victor. "Aliens" examines how groups of people were visualized as monstrous; women, Jews, Muslims, the poor, and the mentally ill were marginalized in medieval society, as reflected in their representation in art. "Wonders" presents monsters' fascinating ability to inspire wonder and awe. From centaurs to giants to grotesque hybrids, these beasts lack codified meanings, yet their strange beauty and frightful abnormality inspire us to marvel. A preface by award-winning fantasy fiction writer China Miéville argues for the enduring relevance of monsters in today's world.
Amazon Other stores
As an Amazon Associate thebooknaut.com earns from qualifying purchases

Tagged as:

    romance tags

    crime tags

    literary-fiction tags

    historical-fiction tags

    fantasy tags

    sci-fi tags

    action-adventure tags

    thriller tags

    horror tags

    Collections/Custom tags

    Report duplicate books, missing or wrong information

    Reviews

    Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders by Sherry Lindquist, Asa Simon Mittman, China Miéville

    Report duplicate books, missing or wrong information