Catastrophes and the Apocalyptic in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance ed. by Robert E. Bjork (review)

'No culture in any historical period develops in isolation from its past' (p. 166). With this statement, Joanna Miles (Ludwikowska) begins her essay on late medieval eschatological fears. This sentence, however, also beautifully captures the essence of Catastrophes and the Apocalyptic in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Each of its essays contains, in some way, a description of how the recurring element of the Apocalypse was shaped, altered, and expressed throughout the centuries and through shifting cultures.

Each of these essays, the result of the 2014 Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) Conference, discusses a specific context in which catastrophes and apocalyptic mentalities are explored. Each essay provides the reader with new insights into one (or more) of the many facets of eschatology. As stated in the introduction, these are far-reaching and sweeping topics (p. x). The authors of these essays have mostly concentrated on medieval crises or catastrophes, covering not just the impact of natural disasters but also social, political, and dogmatic challenges and transformations. The twelve essays are focused on the large meanings, receptions, and interpretations of these catastrophic occurrences and calamities.

The first essay focuses on an eleventh-century Irish sermon describing the perceived flaws of the world and an impending catastrophe that will cleanse Ireland. The preacher, believing the Irish were God's chosen people, argued the impending punishment was a result of sin. Personal reform and penance, combined with the favour of Saint Patrick, would ensure Ireland would be spared. The narrative doesn't equate the impending disaster with an apocalyptic Final Judgement, but the imagery used in the sermon is 'carefully woven around existing images of judgment and justice' (p. 13).

Catherine Schultz McFarland approaches the topic of eschatology from a different angle, by studying two paintings created by Pieter Bruegel. The paintings were made with only a short interval and focus on the same dramatic object, the Tower of Babel, which is painted in painstaking detail in both pieces, evoking images of a world gripped by 'tensions and frustrations, conflicts and contradictions' (p. 113). Through careful analysis of both paintings, incorporating mathematics, ideology, and cultural changes, Schultz McFarland creates a comprehensive narrative about the iconography of the Tower and the complicated vision of the artist.

Katrina Klaasmeyer also approaches the subject through a painting and its 'use of astrology as a means to predict portents of disaster' (p. 147). The painting, created by Antoine Caron in the 1570s, shows an ominous scene of a fiery sky, a darkened sun, and a small group of people engaged with their scientific instruments. The overall feeling of panic and terror is heightened by small groups of people fleeing the scene, while a statue of Urania, the muse of astrology, extends an arm towards the ominous skies. Klaasmeyer doesn't start with a detailed analysis of the art itself, but discusses the cultural and scientific elements that underpin its message and iconography. She shows how astronomical occurrences, such as eclipses and the passing of comets, brought great unrest and fuelled apocalyptic beliefs. The relationship of humankind and the cosmos, 'of celestial events and earthly affairs', she states, is rooted in our cultures and beliefs (p. 163).

Each essay in Catastrophes and the Apocalyptic in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance provides the reader with an interesting perspective on eschatology and the apocalyptic. Their analyses and descriptions paint a picture of the vast and complicated influence of eschatology. The broad approach to the topic, with the inclusion of social, cultural, political, and religious shifts, ensures great variety in the essays, both in topic and in the methods used. In my humble opinion, this is both the strength and the fault of this book. It gives the reader a peek into the immensely complicated world of eschatology and its...