Medieval History
Love it or hate it, even the most hardened anti-Romeo will be hard pressed to avoid Valentine's Day this year. But as an exhibit at the British Library currently on show is testament to, there is a first for everything - even on Valentine's Day.
It is a letter, written from a young woman to her love, and is the first mention of the word Valentine in the English language. And, for the first time, the descendants of Margery Brews and her betrothed John Paston have been traced.
In 1477 Margery wrote a letter to her John pleading with him not to give her up, despite her parents' refusal to increase her dowry.
Addressing her "ryght welebeloued Voluntyne" (right well-beloved Valentine), she promised to be a good wife, adding: "Yf that ye loffe me as Itryste verely that ye do ye will not leffe me" (If you love me, I trust.. you will not leave me)
Click here to read this article from the BBC
- Book By Wustl English Professor Examines Themes Of Medieval Love Poetry
This Valentine?s Day, flip through cable TV listings and you?ll see a bevy of romances. While those movies may feature modern actors and storylines, many of the common themes and conflicts can be traced back to medieval times. What is considered ?romantic?...
- The Battle For Valentine's Day
The development of Valentine's Day into the orgy of commercialised sentimentality we know today has been a long process, with Roman paganism and the poets of the middle ages both making a contribution to the day's current associations with romance,...
- Medieval Professor Co-edits Book On The Material Culture Of Daily Living In The Anglo-saxon World
Dr. Maren Clegg-Hyer?s passion for and knowledge of medieval literature is enough to inspire even the most indifferent, clock-watching students. The assistant professor of English has been teaching for about 17 years, the past three of which have been...
- K'zoo Postmortem
Well, K'zoo is over. I am back in my office working on my Margery Kempe article, a small portion of which I presented--I want to be done with this article and move on to other projects. I feel deflated--I attended so many good sessions and presided...
- St Valentine
The first thing you need to know about the real St. Valentine is that not much is known about him. Including whether there was one, two or three St. Valentines, or one guy with more than one name, or whether he existed at all. Even the Vatican can't...
Medieval History
First Valentine: Lasting legacy of 500-year-old love
Love it or hate it, even the most hardened anti-Romeo will be hard pressed to avoid Valentine's Day this year. But as an exhibit at the British Library currently on show is testament to, there is a first for everything - even on Valentine's Day.
It is a letter, written from a young woman to her love, and is the first mention of the word Valentine in the English language. And, for the first time, the descendants of Margery Brews and her betrothed John Paston have been traced.
In 1477 Margery wrote a letter to her John pleading with him not to give her up, despite her parents' refusal to increase her dowry.
Addressing her "ryght welebeloued Voluntyne" (right well-beloved Valentine), she promised to be a good wife, adding: "Yf that ye loffe me as Itryste verely that ye do ye will not leffe me" (If you love me, I trust.. you will not leave me)
Click here to read this article from the BBC
- Book By Wustl English Professor Examines Themes Of Medieval Love Poetry
This Valentine?s Day, flip through cable TV listings and you?ll see a bevy of romances. While those movies may feature modern actors and storylines, many of the common themes and conflicts can be traced back to medieval times. What is considered ?romantic?...
- The Battle For Valentine's Day
The development of Valentine's Day into the orgy of commercialised sentimentality we know today has been a long process, with Roman paganism and the poets of the middle ages both making a contribution to the day's current associations with romance,...
- Medieval Professor Co-edits Book On The Material Culture Of Daily Living In The Anglo-saxon World
Dr. Maren Clegg-Hyer?s passion for and knowledge of medieval literature is enough to inspire even the most indifferent, clock-watching students. The assistant professor of English has been teaching for about 17 years, the past three of which have been...
- K'zoo Postmortem
Well, K'zoo is over. I am back in my office working on my Margery Kempe article, a small portion of which I presented--I want to be done with this article and move on to other projects. I feel deflated--I attended so many good sessions and presided...
- St Valentine
The first thing you need to know about the real St. Valentine is that not much is known about him. Including whether there was one, two or three St. Valentines, or one guy with more than one name, or whether he existed at all. Even the Vatican can't...