In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Chapter  Carolingian Practices of the Rule The medieval cloister is a brilliant example of how an emblematic, religious space succeeds in ‘‘mooring a mental space—a space of contemplation and theological abstraction—to the earth, thus allowing it to express itself symbolically and to become a part of a practice, the practice of a well-defined group within a well-defined society.’’1 The cloister is also a perfect illustration of a gestural space, that is, a space produced not merely through the passive positioning of the human body within the built environment, but a space created through the interaction of the body—with its economy of gestures and gaits—and the architectural structures housing it. Cloisters are generated both through the repetition of architectural features, such as columns, capitals , and sculptures, and the ‘‘solemn pace of the monks who walk there.’’2 The repeated ritual actions of monastic bodies (promenading, bowing, meditating ) mirror the structural repetitions (column, capital, sculpture) of the cloister itself, and the reading of the cloister’s architecture cannot be complete without a consideration of how gesture, body, and space work together to produce meaning.3 The cloister succeeds magnificently in providing material form to the abstract and immaterial goal of the monastic enterprise: the harnessing of the infinite to the finite space of a foursquare cloister. Although it is not possible to visit a Carolingian cloister like the one constructed by Hrabanus Maurus at Fulda because such monuments of early medieval monastic spirituality no longer exist, it is still possible to experience the foursquare space of later cloisters like the one at Saint-Trophime in Arles (twelfth century). Traversing the space of Saint-Trophime enables the modern-day traveler to embody to some degree the disciplinary techniques of the Rule as the cloister’s covered walkway frames the inviting space of a garden. But getting the body up and Carolingian Practices 99 then down into this paradise-like space requires some zeal and physical exertion on the part of visitors, as potential entryways are blocked by arches and columns, and the few stairways that do lead into the tempting green space are arduous to climb. Thus, the manner in which the covered walkway and the garden at Saint-Trophime communicate does have a precise impact on the bodies moving through the cloister’s repetitious space. The message— enacted through the medium of the body—is clear: it is easier to glimpse into the beauties of paradise (a spiritual taunt for the weak) than it is to enter fully into its delights (the goal of a perfected, monastic body).4 Spiritual monuments, like a cloister or a cathedral, invite their spectators (monk, pilgrim, or tourist) to participate in all-embracing spatial experiences, where physical exertion along with visual, tactile, olfactory, and audible components play significant roles. Quiet is also one of the languages of space: ‘‘Silence itself, in a place of worship, has its music.’’5 To some degree then, cloisters are spaces ‘‘measured by the ear,’’ that is, they are determined through their silences as well as their reverberating chants, their hushed voices, and edificatory readings. In fact, the monastic lectio is a solemn occasion during which ‘‘the reading voice breathes new life into a written text.’’6 Carolingian commentators on the Rule similarly envision the cloister as a space measured by the ear. These ninth-century commentators privilege two sets of ears for monks: outer ears displayed on the material surface of the body and reserved for the reception of earthly sounds, and esoteric inner ears held in reserve for the taking in of celestial language.7 After all, Saint Benedict tasted God’s food with the ‘‘palate of his heart.’’8 The division of various parts of the body (palate, ears, eyes, nose, tongue, jaws, feet) into inner and outer pairs is in keeping with the commentators’ partitioning of the monastic body into two interconnected sections: an interior monk moored to the foursquare space of the monastery, and an exterior monk, whose body engages more with the world.9 Hildemar distinguishes the two bodies by their kin: the exterior man is in communion with the beasts; the interior man, however, channels angels, as he himself is made in the image of God.10 The Rule embodies the civilizing process, as its ritual speech and gestures bring monks out of a bestial realm in order to place them under the vigilant gaze of the Deity.11 This systematic inner-outer division inscribes itself onto...

Share