Medievalism

"Medievalism" like all "isms" can be a vague, broad and frustrating concept. The Australian scholar Stephanie Trigg correctly points out that "there is a prima facie problem with the term 'medievalism,' since it is so confusing and variable, and so highly contested, and since it allows us to make no ready distinction, for example, between those who practice medievalism and those who study it."¹ Even Leslie J. Workman, often considered the father of medievalism as a distinct academic field, struggled with this dichotomy. His definition was clear: "[Medievalism is] the study of the Middle Ages, the application of medieval models to contemporary needs, and the inspiration of the Middle Ages in all forms of art and thought."² But, he also noted the difficulty of applying the term in a coherent and consistent fashion. In particular, the notion that all models and all forms fall under the same academic umbrella makes precision virtually impossible. Furthermore, the definition removes scholars from a rather easily identified chronology, the historical Middle Ages, and leads them through all succeeding generations with little or no guidance. Unfortunately, this has led to a rather unfortunate tension between "medieval" on one hand, and "medievalism" on the other. The debate cannot be settled in a single volume, but as David Matthews argues, the debate is really unnecessary. He states, "The future of medieval studies and medievalism is a history of ambivalence, conducted in the knowledge of the same indissoluble relationship between the medievalism that existed at the birth of the two terms."³ In other words, Matthews makes clear that the two terms were originally co-pilgrims, set on the same journey. As early as the 1840s, scholars studying the Middle Ages relied on medievalism and vice versa. The essays in this volume, first presented at the 2016 Illinois Medieval Conference, are further evidence of this important relationship. Medievalism in all its diversity from popular novels to the world of Westeros helps inform and illustrate two separate but intimately linked worlds.

First, Meriem Pages contributes to the already rich field of medieval film studies by demonstrating how the trope of medieval Saracens in Crusades films is far more than just a generic stereotype. In fact, its origins are complex and intriguing. In a post-911 world, understanding such a distinction is invaluable.

Likewise, Mark Johnston's essay on George Barrie's illustrated Crusades history, first published in the nineteenth century, shows how medievalism has substantially changed from one generation of Americans to the next. The article highlights the popularity and profitability of medievalism as a Victorian concept. Even more so, Johnston shows how capitalization of the process changed within a single generation. The essay adeptly illustrates how medievalism connects three worlds: the Middle Ages, the late 1800s, and the twenty-first century.

R. S. Farris, Rebekah M. Fowler and Coral Lumbley, in their separate essays, bring new insights into the area of literature and manuscript studies. Farris very briefly, but accurately recounts the various theories of narratology. He then illustrates how medievalism as a concept within narratology can be applied to the already well-mined field of Chaucerian studies. Fowler applies similar theories, but in a more direct way by comparing the traditional story of Owein to Tishani Doshi's Fountainville. The literary styles, metaphors and analogies distinct from one text to the next are remarkably similar when viewed through the same lens of medievalism. Lumbley echoes this theme by analyzing the historical value in fictional works like Robyn Cadwallader's novel The Anchoress. More specifically, she argues that the best way to read the novel is like a medieval anchoress. This allows two worlds to collide in very meaningful ways. Again, Fowler and Lumbley demonstrate that chronology does not have to limit the imagination of scholars.

And finally, Michaela Baca tackles the uncomfortable subject of incest as depicted in the popular series Game of Thrones. While examining the fictional world of Westeros, she actually explores the medieval mindset and the modern concepts of taboo. Such a critical question goes beyond historical knowledge and explains the necessary but uncomfortable questions related to the novel's popularity. In this case medievalism...