Affectionate Authorities

Fathers and Fatherly Roles in Late Medieval Basel

Nonfiction, History, Modern, 17th Century, Medieval
Cover of the book Affectionate Authorities by Philip Grace, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Philip Grace ISBN: 9781317184744
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: March 16, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Philip Grace
ISBN: 9781317184744
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: March 16, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

In one of his sermons, the medieval preacher Bernardino of Siena listed seven ’fathers’ to whom one owed obedience: God, one’s natural father, godfather, confessor, benefactor, a government official, and any elderly man. This book seeks to answer the question of why medieval Europeans saw the need for so many ’fathers.’ Why was fatherhood so appealing as a metaphor? Situated at the intersection of social and cultural history, the study draws upon a variety of late-medieval and early-modern sources including witness depositions, personal letters and pedagogical treatises from the city of Basel, Switzerland. It focuses on how people from different walks of life invoked ideas about fatherhood in the pursuit of various goals - not only the ideological agendas of scholarly elites, but also the more pragmatic problems of closing a business deal, claiming an inheritance, or choosing sides in a fistfight - before turning to what these ideas reveal about fatherhood ’on the ground.’ The book argues that it was precisely fatherhood’s basis in lived experience that gave it a familiar ’shape’ in the several roles that fathers played, including provision, affection, disciplinary authority, and education. The most potent rhetorical aspect of fatherhood, however, was not as a static image or shape, but rather the possibility of invoking connections between one role and another. The most potent connection between roles was the idea that fathers were 'affectionate authorities,' combining power over subordinates with desire for their well-being. Tracing the connections and contradictions of these identities, this study provides a nuanced view of concepts of fatherhood on the eve of the Reformation.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In one of his sermons, the medieval preacher Bernardino of Siena listed seven ’fathers’ to whom one owed obedience: God, one’s natural father, godfather, confessor, benefactor, a government official, and any elderly man. This book seeks to answer the question of why medieval Europeans saw the need for so many ’fathers.’ Why was fatherhood so appealing as a metaphor? Situated at the intersection of social and cultural history, the study draws upon a variety of late-medieval and early-modern sources including witness depositions, personal letters and pedagogical treatises from the city of Basel, Switzerland. It focuses on how people from different walks of life invoked ideas about fatherhood in the pursuit of various goals - not only the ideological agendas of scholarly elites, but also the more pragmatic problems of closing a business deal, claiming an inheritance, or choosing sides in a fistfight - before turning to what these ideas reveal about fatherhood ’on the ground.’ The book argues that it was precisely fatherhood’s basis in lived experience that gave it a familiar ’shape’ in the several roles that fathers played, including provision, affection, disciplinary authority, and education. The most potent rhetorical aspect of fatherhood, however, was not as a static image or shape, but rather the possibility of invoking connections between one role and another. The most potent connection between roles was the idea that fathers were 'affectionate authorities,' combining power over subordinates with desire for their well-being. Tracing the connections and contradictions of these identities, this study provides a nuanced view of concepts of fatherhood on the eve of the Reformation.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book School-based Curriculum Development in Britain by Philip Grace
Cover of the book The Future of Chinese Management by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Anglo-Iranian Relations During World War I by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Second Home Tourism in Europe by Philip Grace
Cover of the book The Economics of Structural Change in Knowledge by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Hybridity: Law, Culture and Development by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Lancashire and Cheshire from AD1540 by Philip Grace
Cover of the book The Mobilities Paradigm by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Women and Nature? by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Motherhood, Absence and Transition by Philip Grace
Cover of the book An Architecture of the Mind by Philip Grace
Cover of the book British Cabinet Government by Philip Grace
Cover of the book Challenging Professional Learning by Philip Grace
Cover of the book The Underground Railroad by Philip Grace
Cover of the book The Novels of Daniel Defoe, Part I Vol 4 by Philip Grace
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy