Abstract
Medieval anchorites embraced the most extreme and punishing form of solitude known to the medieval world-enclosure in the same four walls for life-in order to forge a closer connection with God. As a way of understanding the lives, beliefs, and experiences of anchorites, Reading Medieval Anchoritismexplores guides to the anchorite life that were published in England throughout the Middle Ages. Mari Hughes-Edwards surveys five centuries of the guides' negotiations of four anchoritic ideals-enclosure, solitude, chastity, and orthodoxy-as well as two vital spiritual practices, asceticism and contemplative experience. The book explodes the long-standing myth of the anchorhold as solitary death-cell, revealing it instead as the site of potential intellectual change and spiritual growth.
Original language | English |
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Place of Publication | Cardiff |
Publisher | University of Wales Press |
Number of pages | 256 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780708325056 |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |