Dying and Death in Later Anglo-Saxon England (Anglo-Saxon Studies)

This wide-ranging analysis of later Anglo-Saxon culture and society will be indispensable to students of history, literature and archaeology. The death-bed and funerary practices of this period have been comparatively and unjustly neglected by historical scholarship; Victoria Thompson examines them in the context of confessional and penitential literature, wills, poetry, chronicles and homilies, to show that complex and ambiguous ideas about death were current at all levels of Anglo-Saxon society. An important pastoral handbook for the confessor (Bodley MS. Laud Misc. 482) is here given its first extended analysis. As well as these diverse textual sources, her study also takes in grave monuments, showing in particular how the Anglo-Scandinavian sculpture of the ninth to eleventh centuries may indicate not only the status, but also the religious and cultural alignment of those who commissioned and made them. What this study tells us about pre-Conquest attitudes towards the dying and the dead has implications for every aspect of culture, religion and society. Pre-conquest Attitudes Towards The Dying And The Dead Have Major Implications For Every Aspect Of Culture, Society And Religion Of The Anglo-saxon Period; But The Death-bed And Funerary Practices Of This Period Have Been Comparatively And Unjustly Neglected By Historical Scholarship. In Her Wide-ranging Analysis, Dr. Thompson Examines Such Practices In The Context Of Confessional And Penitential Literature, Wills, Poetry, Chronicles And Homilies, To Show That Complex And Ambiguous Ideas About Death Were Current At All Levels Of Anglo-saxon Society. Her Study Also Takes In Grave Monuments, Showing In Particular How The Anglo-scandinavian Sculpture Of The Ninth To The Eleventh Centuries May Indicate Not Only The Status, But Also The Religious And Cultural Alignment Of Those Who Commissioned And Made Them.--jacket. 1. Aethelflaed, Lady Of The Mercians -- 2. Dying And Death In A Complicated World -- 3. Dying With Decency -- 4. The Body Under Siege In Life And Death -- 5. The Gravestone, The Grave And The Wyrm -- 6. Judgement On Earth And In Heaven. Victoria Thompson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 209-228) And Index. Study of late Anglo-Saxon texts and grave monuments illuminates contemporary attitudes towards dying and the dead.Pre-Conquest attitudes towards the dying and the dead have major implications for every aspect of culture, society and religion of the Anglo-Saxon period; but death-bed and funerary practices have been comparatively and unjustly neglected by historical scholarship. In her wide-ranging analysis, Dr Thompson examines such practices in the context of confessional and penitential literature, wills, poetry, chronicles and homilies, to show that complex and ambiguous ideas about death were current at all levels of Anglo-Saxon society. Her study also takes in grave monuments, showing in particular how the Anglo-Scandinavian sculpture of the ninth to the eleventh centuries may indicate notonly the status, but also the religious and cultural alignment of those who commissioned and made them. Victoria Thompson is Lecturer in the Centre for Nordic Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands.. Study of late Anglo-Saxon texts and grave monuments illuminates contemporary attitudes towards dying and the dead. Pre-Conquest attitudes towards the dying and the dead have major implications for every aspect of culture, society and religion of the Anglo-Saxon period; but death-bed and funerary practices have been comparatively and unjustly neglected by historical scholarship. In her wide-ranging analysis, Dr Thompson examines such practices in the context of confessional and penitential literature, wills, poetry, chronicles and homilies, to show that complex and ambiguous ideas about death were current at all levels of Anglo-Saxon society. Her study also takes in grave monuments, showing in particular how the Anglo-Scandinavian sculpture of the ninth to the eleventh centuries may indicate notonly the status, but also the religious and cultural alignment of those who commissioned and made them. Victoria Thompson is Lecturer in the Centre for Nordic Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Pre-Conquest attitudes towards the dying and the dead have major implications for every aspect of culture, society and religion of the Anglo-Saxon period; but death-bed and funerary practices have been comparatively and unjustly neglected by historical scholarship. In her wide-ranging analysis, Dr Thompson examines such practices in the context of confessional and penitential literature, wills, poetry, chronicles and homilies, to show that complex and ambiguous ideas about death were current at all levels of Anglo-Saxon society. Her study also takes in grave monuments, showing in particular how the Anglo-Scandinavian sculpture of the ninth to the eleventh centuries may indicate not only the status, but also the religious and cultural alignment of those who commissioned and made them. VICTORIA THOMPSON undertook her postgraduate work in English and Medieval Studies at the University of York and currently lectures in medieval history for New York University's London Program CONTENTS ......Page 6 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ......Page 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......Page 8 ABBREVIATIONS ......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1. Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians......Page 19 2. Dying and Death in a Complicated World......Page 37 3. Dying with Decency......Page 68 4. The Body under Siege in Life and Death......Page 103 5. The Gravestone, the Grave and the Wyrm......Page 143 6. Judgement on Earth and in Heaven......Page 181 CONCLUSION ......Page 218 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......Page 220