GRIEF, GRIEVING, AND LOSS IN HIGH MEDIEVAL HISTORICAL THOUGHT
Emily A. Winkler
This article investigates how and why medieval ecclesiastical writers thought wrote about experiences of grief in human history. It examines the works three late twelfth-century Latin from England: a foundation history Waltham Abbey its holy cross, series annals kept by Hugh Candidus at Peterborough, Gerald Wales's autobiographical travel writing alongside his De principis instructione . Drawing on biblical, literary, theological, iconographic models for suffering western Christian tradition, situates these exegetical philosophical ideas they shared, explains what is original significant their approaches to each instance grief. argues that central problem pondered narratives was relationship between universal particular nature Grieving, thought, had key qualities: it impelled desire act; could not be meaningfully measured; persisted time. In prioritizing experience over function, meaning, or morality, considered emotion rational, natural, honest. The value placed family family-like relationships provides context understanding priorities thinking responses loss. Interest grief's endurance, rather than resolution consolation, has been understood as more typical secular, sacred, thought. By showing writers’ lived within other this illuminates greater range dignity emotion.
Traditio|Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) (University of Oxford)