The spoken, the written and the illustrated Word as Forgers of the Medieval Imaginary

Abstract

T he medieval world is usually considered to be a period of darkness in contrast to the luminosity of reason. However, not everything that exists is comfortable with light; darkness has its own world and reality, having its own appeal because of what seems to be hiding. Only those who dare to search might be able to see that shadows have their own clarity. Within those shadows, the medieval man found himself between the extremes of some dualities, which he experienced as an alternative way of understanding, explaining and representing his reality. Nevertheless, fear was the main means of control used to create such imaginaries. This task was undertaken by the authorities of the time, such as kings, feudal lords and, mainly, by the medieval clergymen, who had access to written texts and, because of that, to knowledge. In order to spread fear, clergymen used written (books), spoken (preaching) and illustrated (art) words. Thus, they could control the imaginaries and configure a society according to their will. The following paper aims to study the way in which the medieval imaginary was manipulated through the exercise of power, mainly throughout words made image in texts and art.