Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs [Paperback]

Carl Lindahl (Editor), John McNamara (Editor), John Lindow (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 2002

Over a decade in the making, Medieval Folklore offers a wide-ranging guide to the lore of the Middle Ages--from the mundane to the supernatural. Definitive and lively articles focus on the great tales and traditions of the age and includes information on daily and nightly customs and activities; religious beliefs of the pagan, Christian, Muslim, and Jew; key works of oral and written literature; traditional music and art; holidays and feasts; food and drink; and plants and animals, both real and fantastical.

While most books on medieval folklore focus primarily on the West, this unique volume brings together an eclectic range of experts to treat the subject from a global perspective. Especially remarkable are the surveys of the major medieval traditions including Arab-Islamic, Baltic, English, Finno-Ugric, French, Hispanic, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Scandinavian, Scottish, Slavic, and Welsh.

For anyone who has ever wanted a path through the tangle of Arthurian legends, or the real lowdown on St. Patrick, or the last word on wolf lore--this is the place to look.

The contributors:

Ulrich Marzolph -- Arab-Islamic
Thomas A. DuBois -- Baltic
John McNamara & Carl Lindahl -- English
Thomas A. DuBois -- Finno-Ugric
Francesca Canad� Sautman -- French
Samuel G. Armistead -- Hispanic
�va P�cs -- Hungarian
Joseph Falaky Nagy -- Irish
Giuseppe C. Di Scipio -- Italian
Eli Yassif -- Jewish
Stephen A. Mitchell -- Scandinavian
John McNamara -- Scottish
Eve Levin -- Slavic
Elissa R. Henken & Brynley F. Roberts -- Welsh

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Originally published in two volumes (LJ 9/15/00), this rich compendium has been streamlined to create the first one-volume companion to medieval folklore. Gathered here is a significant body of information currently available only in widely scattered sources. The 261 alphabetically arranged entries span a broad spectrum of topics, embracing major themes in folk culture and the legends and sagas of classic European literature both oral and written dating from 500 to 1500 C.E. (Only very modest attention is paid to materials from Africa, East Asia, and South Asia.) Each essay first defines the topic and then carefully addresses context, historical development, uses, motifs, and notable research. Major entries cover death, dance, music, Christmas, lesbians, funeral rituals, taverns, spirits, food, and animals in literatures from Baltic to Welsh to Jewish. Penned by 114 academic scholars, both European and American, the narratives are often ponderous and leaden, yet it must be acknowledged that within academic limits the writing is well crafted, offering insights and dimension found nowhere else. While not exhaustive, this is an extensive and fully researched work that scholars will find valuable. Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Carl Lindahl, author of books and articles on Chaucer, folk narrative, and festive custom, and John McNamara, who has produced many studies of the heroic and monastic lore of medieval England, are Professors of English at the University of Houston. John Lindow, Professor of Scandinavian Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, has published numerous books and articles on Norse myth, legend, and literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195147723
• ISBN-13: 978-0195147728
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #413,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Literature

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Encyclopedia of Foklore., August 20, 2011

By 

Anne Rice "Anne Rice" (Little Paradise, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs (Paperback)

This is an exceptionally well written and well constructed book. The articles are substantive and beautifully written, yet extremely concise. In fact it is a marvel that so much helpful information is provided with such conciseness. All material is thoroughly researched with helpful references in the text to primary source material from the Middle Ages or earlier. Though very readable and in fact downright entertaining, this provides quick but deep reference for any student of folklore, and is of invaluable help, surely, for novelists interesting in writing folklorish novels about angels, devils, wild men, elves, fairies, witches and the like. ---- The book is quite comprehensive. The article on Angels is excellent; so is the article on the Wild Man;and the articles on the Wild Woman, and on Fairies. I've read enough to trust the entire book. This would make an excellent gift for a high school or college student, or any writer of fantasy fiction, or any student of literature --- and it will remain on my shelf right next to Sir James Frazier's The Golden Bough. At a time when I am selling or giving away thousands of books from my old libraries, I actually just ordered the hardcover version of this text to keep here permanently in my overcrowded little study. The paperback edition is quite attractive, with its tasteful cover, and double column pages. Just excellent. Really excellent. Highly recommended.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy Medieval Reference, October 27, 2004

By 

Santa Fean (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs (Paperback)

This is a great reference book for anyone interested in folklore and/or medieval social history. It includes biographical sketches, famous literary figures, regional traditions, holidays, and much more. This compendium covers an impressive range, while remaining manageable - the full index and copious "See also:" cross-references are commendable. It's a pleasure to thumb through and provides a solid introduction to topics as diverse as "Robin Hood", "Samhain", "memento mori" and "skis and skiing".

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating reference work, January 15, 2008

By 

Russell T. Warne - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs (Paperback)

The huge success of recent movies like the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the Harry Potter movies, and the Narnia series shows that dwarves, knights, and magic have never been cooler than they are now. But just as interesting than those works of fiction is the folklore that they draw upon.

"Medieval Folklore" gives short articles about all sorts of topics, from specific folkloric characters (such as Prester John, the Wandering Jew, the Seven Sleepers), traditions (like Jewish, Italian, and Irish medieval folklore), motifs, works ("The Decameron," "The Seven Wise Masters"), authors (Dante Alighieri, Geoffery Chaucer), and more.

Although formatted as an encyclopedia, the writing stays lively thanks to high quality editing. Almost every page will yield an article that is interesting to the layman and the expert.

I'd recommend this book to anyone with a potential interest in medieval life, history, or literature. It would be a welcomed addition to their library.