Suicide in the Middle Ages: Volume 2: The Curse on Self-MurderOUP Oxford, 2011 M03 3 - 662 pages A group of men dig a tunnel under the threshold of a house. Then they go and fetch a heavy, sagging object from inside the house, pull it out through the tunnel, and put it on a cow-hide to be dragged off and thrown into the offal-pit. Why should the corpse of a suicide – for that is what it is– have earned this unusual treatment? In The Curse on Self-Murder, the second volume of his three-part Suicide in the Middle Ages, Alexander Murray explores the origin of the condemnation of suicide, in a quest which leads along the most unexpected byways of medieval theology, law, mythology, and folklore –and, indeed, in some instances beyond them. At an epoch when there might be plenty of ostensible reasons for not wanting to live, the ways used to block the suicidal escape route give a unique perspective on medieval religion. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 10 | |
the written inheritance | 86 |
the medieval contribution | 189 |
pollution and the community | 396 |
the unwritten inheritance | 483 |
| 599 | |
| 603 | |
Other editions - View all
Suicide in the Middle Ages: Volume 2: The Curse on Self-Murder Alexander Murray No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
Ages already ancient appear attempted Augustine authority body Braga burial buried called canon century chapter character Christian Church classical clause commentary confiscation crime custom Dante dead death despair distinct doctrine earlier early effect Ethics evidence example explain expression fact further give Greek grounds hand hanged happened idea included instance Italy Judas killed kind known late later Latin lawyers learned least less lines look matter means medieval mentioned method Middle moral namely nature once original Paris particular person philosophical practice present principle punishment question quoted reason records reference reflect remained respect Roman Roman law sources Stoic story suggest suicide suicide's theology things thought tion tradition turn Violent whole writing written