{"product_id":"old-age-in-early-medieval-england-9781783273751","title":"Old Age in Early Medieval England","description":"\u003cb\u003eFirst full-length study of the notion and concept of old age in early medieval England.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHow did Anglo-Saxons reflect on the experience of growing old? Was it really a golden age for the elderly, as has been suggested? This first full survey of the Anglo-Saxon cultural conceptualisation of old age, as manifested and reflected in the texts and artwork of the inhabitants of early medieval England, presents a more nuanced and complicated picture. The author argues that although senescence was associated with the potential for wisdom and pious living, the Anglo-Saxons also anticipated various social, psychological and physical repercussions of growing old. Their attitude towards elderly men and women - whether they were saints, warriors or kings - was equally ambivalent.\u003cbr\u003e Multidisciplinary in approach, this book makes use of a wide variety of sources, ranging from the visual arts to hagiography, homiletic literature and heroic poetry. Individual chapters deal with early medieval definitions ofthe life cycle; the merits and drawbacks of old age as represented in Anglo-Saxon homilies and wisdom poetry; the hagiographic topos of elderly saints; the portrayal of grey-haired warriors in heroic literature; \u003ci\u003eBeowulf\u003c\/i\u003e asa mirror for elderly kings; and the cultural roles attributed to old women.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  THIJS PORCK is Assistant Professor of Medieval English, Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society, Leiden University.","brand":"Thijs Porck","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48280765923579,"sku":"9781783273751","price":130.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/3917\/9771\/files\/9781783273751.jpg?v=1772486601","url":"https:\/\/indiepubs.com\/products\/old-age-in-early-medieval-england-9781783273751","provider":"IndiePubs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}