Richard Kenneth Emmerson

A Study of Medieval Apocalypticism, Art, and Literature

Antichrist in the Middle Ages

Ronald B. Herzman

During the Middle Ages, the Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, was believed to contain both the grand design of sacred history and the disguised history of the Present and future. In The Apocalyptic Imagination in Medieval Literature, Richard K. Emmerson and Ronald B. Herzman explore die pervasiveness of apocalypticism in medieval literature through close readings of a group of major texts not generally considered from an apocalyptic perspective. Emmerson and Herzman present a new reading of Bonaventure's Major Life of Francis of Assisi, a key document in the Franciscan tradition. In their examination of the Romance of the Rose, they argue that allegorical romance takes a surprising turn toward contemporary social criticism, a criticism informed by a sophisticated and subtle use of the apocalyptic tradition. The authors also contend that while the apocalyptic language of the Divine Comedy is more obvious, its significance has not been systematically studied, and that The Canterbury Tales, all but ignored from an apocalyptic perspective, are infused with significant apocalyptic dimensions. The Apocalyptic Imagination in Medieval Literature offers a broad and comparative focus, and it should be of value not simply to students of medieval literature but to the broader audience of those interested in medieval intellectual history, art history, and religious history as well.

The Apocalyptic Imagination in Medieval Literature

Sandra Clayton-Emmerson

Selected from the eight region-based volumes in the"Routledge Encyclopedias of the Middle Ages" series, 587 signed entries provide information about primary figures in Europe between approximately 500 and 1500.

An Encyclopedia

Key Figures in Medieval Europe

Stephen Wright

Martin Stevens

Keith Glaeske

"Translated for the first time into English, the 14th-century French play Jour du Jugement is the most fully-developed account of the career of Antichrist in any dramatic form. This fascinating theatrical extravaganza stages two of the most important events in Christian eschatology: the appearance, deception, and persecution of the Antichrist, and the Last Judgement. The introduction discusses theological backgrounds, literary analogues, and staging issues. Substantial commentary explicates socio-historical allusions and biblical references, suggests performance effects, and describes what is known of accompanying music."

The Middle French Jour Du Jugement

Antichrist and Judgment Day

Bernard McGinn

An innovative overview of the influence of the Apocalypse on the shaping of the Christian culture of the Middle Ages.

Richard Kenneth Emmerson

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