Elf Queens and Holy Friars: Fairy Beliefs and the Medieval Church (The Middle Ages Series)

In __Elf Queens and Holy Friars__ Richard Firth Green investigates an important aspect of medieval culture that has been largely ignored by modern literary scholarship: the omnipresent belief in fairyland. Taking as his starting point the assumption that the major cultural gulf in the Middle Ages was less between the wealthy and the poor than between the learned and the lay, Green explores the church's systematic demonization of fairies and infernalization of fairyland. He argues that when medieval preachers inveighed against the demons that they portrayed as threatening their flocks, they were in reality often waging war against fairy beliefs. The recognition that medieval demonology, and indeed pastoral theology, were packed with coded references to popular lore opens up a whole new avenue for the investigation of medieval vernacular culture. __Elf Queens and Holy Friars__ offers a detailed account of the church's attempts to suppress or redirect belief in such things as fairy lovers, changelings, and alternative versions of the afterlife. That the church took these fairy beliefs so seriously suggests that they were ideologically loaded, and this fact makes a huge difference in the way we read medieval romance, the literary genre that treats them most explicitly. The war on fairy beliefs increased in intensity toward the end of the Middle Ages, becoming finally a significant factor in the witch-hunting of the Renaissance.

In Elf Queens and Holy Friars Richard Firth Green investigates an important aspect of medieval culture that has been largely ignored by modern literary scholarship: the omnipresent belief in fairyland.

Taking as his starting point the assumption that the major cultural gulf in the Middle Ages was less between the wealthy and the poor than between the learned and the lay, Green explores the church's systematic demonization of fairies and infernalization of fairyland. He argues that when medieval preachers inveighed against the demons that they portrayed as threatening their flocks, they were in reality often waging war against fairy beliefs. The recognition that medieval demonology, and indeed pastoral theology, were packed with coded references to popular lore opens up a whole new avenue for the investigation of medieval vernacular culture.

Elf Queens and Holy Friars offers a detailed account of the church's attempts to suppress or redirect belief in such things as fairy lovers, changelings, and alternative versions of the afterlife. That the church took these fairy beliefs so seriously suggests that they were ideologically loaded, and this fact makes a huge difference in the way we read medieval romance, the literary genre that treats them most explicitly. The war on fairy beliefs increased in intensity toward the end of the Middle Ages, becoming finally a significant factor in the witch-hunting of the Renaissance.

Taking As His Starting Point The Assumption That The Major Cultural Gulf In The Middle Ages Was Less Between The Wealthy And The Poor Than Between The Learned And The Lay, Green Explores The Church's Systematic Demonization Of Fairies And Infernalization Of Fairyland. He Argues That When Medieval Preachers Inveighed Against The Demons That They Portrayed As Threatening Their Flocks, They Were In Reality Often Waging War Against Fairy Beliefs. The Recognition That Medieval Demonology, And Indeed Pastoral Theology, Were Packed With Coded References To Popular Lore Opens Up A Whole New Avenue For The Investigation Of Medieval Vernacular Culture. Elf Queens And Holy Friars Offers A Detailed Account Of The Church's Attempts To Suppress Or Redirect Belief In Such Things As Fairy Lovers, Changelings, And Alternative Versions Of The Afterlife. That The Church Took These Fairy Beliefs So Seriously Suggests That They Were Ideologically Loaded, And This Fact Makes A Huge Difference In The Way We Read Medieval Romance, The Literary Genre That Treats Them Most Explicitly. The War On Fairy Beliefs Increased In Intensity Toward The End Of The Middle Ages, Becoming Finally A Significant Factor In The Witch-hunting Of The Renaissance--jacket. Believing In Fairies -- Policing Vernacular Beliefs -- Incubi Fairies -- Christ The Changeling -- Living In Fairyland. Richard Firth Green. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 253-276) And Index. "Taking as his starting point the assumption that the major cultural gulf in the Middle Ages was less between the wealthy and the poor than between the learned and the lay, Green explores the church's systematic demonization of fairies and infernalization of fairyland. He argues that when medieval preachers inveighed against the demons that they portrayed as threatening their flocks, they were in reality often waging war against fairy beliefs. The recognition that medieval demonology, and indeed pastoral theology, were packed with coded references to popular lore opens up a whole new avenue for the investigation of medieval vernacular culture. Elf Queens and Holy Friars offers a detailed account of the church's attempts to suppress or redirect belief in such things as fairy lovers, changelings, and alternative versions of the afterlife. That the church took these fairy beliefs so seriously suggests that they were ideologically loaded, and this fact makes a huge difference in the way we read medieval romance, the literary genre that treats them most explicitly. The war on fairy beliefs increased in intensity toward the end of the Middle Ages, becoming finally a significant factor in the witch-hunting of the Renaissance."--Dust jacket Starting from the assumption of a far greater cultural gulf between the learned and the lay in the medieval world than between rich and poor, Elf Queens explores the church's systematic campaign to demonize fairies and infernalize fairyland and the responses this provoked in vernacular romance. Starting from the assumption of a far greater cultural gulf between the learned and the lay in the medieval world than between rich and poor, Elf Queens explores the church's systematic campaign to demonize fairies and infernalize fairyland and the responses this provoked in vernacular romance. Contents 9 Introduction 13 Chapter 1. Believing in Fairies 23 Chapter 2. Policing Vernacular Belief 54 Chapter 3. Incubi Fairies 88 Chapter 4. Christ the Changeling 122 Chapter 5. Living in Fairyland 159 Postscript 206 Notes 219 Bibliography 265 Index 289 Acknowledgments 299