Monastic Life in the Middle Ages
Monastery was a building where individuals worshiped, also known as home thus; they devoted their time and life to their creator. Monks are the people who lived in the monastery and, it was self contained suggesting that anything in the monks was provided by the community. The people of medieval lived their own life whereby, prepared garments plus grew food so they had no need for the outside world. The only known reason to why they focused on God was because they were isolated. During the middle ages monasteries were spread all over Europe. Monks in the monasteries were some individuals in the middle ages who were capable of writing and reading (Binggeli 97).
The monks were essential since they took part in generating education globally. However, in their journey to spread education, the monks at middle age considered writing as well as recording of various events. It was at the middle age that they played an essential part in the community by helping individuals. . Middle age monasteries had a main building whereby, they were grouped with interior courts Not only did they focus on the Supreme Being, they also had the obligations of feeding the poor, taking care of the sick as well as offering education to all boys in the community (Cels 102).
In relevance to literature Monastery history is in form of allegory whereby; it is in form of a story though uses various symbolic figures. The preponderance of the monk’s days in the core age was spent praying, bible study as well as meditating. The act is relevant to literature allegory because it shows individual’s believe as well as truthiness. Devotions are another act the middle age engaged in whereby; they spent their day working in the monastery. The monks performed different chores depending on their talents plus interests. Some people did the work willingly worked in the land farming food for other monks. Other people could not be left behind thereby; they would spend their day copying manuscripts as well as making books. The chores people performed is all devotion which is a term in literature, refereed to Christians who does thing to help themselves as well as grow closer relationship with their creator (Binggeli 88).
The middle age is highly identified with the religious manifestation, which in literature form is referred to as symbolic. The people used majestic spires, flying buttresses, copious carving as well as glass windows as assign of symbolizing individual’s faithfulness. Nuns plus monks, pilgrimages, saint as well as crusades are good examples of additional evidences that the medieval people were bound by their Christian faith. The higher middle age was referred to as the age of faith and, there was no separation between medieval culture as well as the Christian culture. All form of art and literature such as festivals and rituals was in the medieval culture context. Unlike it is done today, calendar dating was used as saint names rather than in form of numbers. In medieval culture speech was used just like it is today a form of literature though; it was used with Christian references only (Gasquet 99).
In the middle age during the monks’ days, there were several religious opportunities for women. Nunneries were introduced for young girls whose families were wealthy, in order to provide grant equivalent to one for matrimony. In medieval culture widows, unmarried older women, orphans, illicit daughters as well as girls with birth imperfections were not discriminated since they were also allowed in the converts. Most of respected individuals in the middle age came from the monastic orders thereby; they were able to generate the ideal of simplicity as well as chastity thus dominated philosophies (Smith 54).
The monastic community endeavored in forming independent as well as self-supporting thereby; the middle age had no necessitate of going away from limits. In course of time, the monastery augmented in wealth as well as numeral of middle age thus; formed a huge establishment that symbolized the massive wall. During the medieval period churches performed various plays which were mysterious. In relevance to literature, plays are mainly performed in theatres with the aim of narrating stories, entertaining as well as teaching individuals. In the medieval eras these plays were aimed at teaching individuals different stories of the bible. The plays performance became widespread in Europe even at the end of 15th century whereby; they developed into morality play. In the 16th centuries theaters were introduced whereby; the monks viewed it as wicked and the churches planned on diminishing it. In the 20th century churches were now advanced especially the evangelical, realized of the usefulness of theaters as the best form of outreach as well as a compelling art form (Beach 118).
Monastic culture in the monk’s days led to the widespread of productions in the religious manuscript as well as literacy within monastic communities. In the European society, the medieval middle age was the most highly regarded members. The middle aged was expected to have the ability of reading and writing especially in manuscripts. Medieval monasteries boasted prodigious libraries whereby; the writing rooms were all full with individuals producing decorative. Monastic communities developed in that they acted as educational centers, infirmaries as well as lodges for their travelers. However, the medieval culture still remains the source of scholarly fascination in English (Beach 114).
After the monks personnel was dispersed plus their structures took apart they, were still energetic effort to preserve their treasure. The medieval fortune involved physical symbols like the decorative objects, their vestments as well as manipulated script. In relevance to literature the physical items are referred to as symbolic since they are meant in presenting certain things in deep meaning. English in the monasteries is among the most favored, especially for the middle age. The number of monks in the community had predominantly sources of revenue which were stable thereby; able to provide higher education for the middle age (Smith 56).
The middle age was involved in the act of collecting taxes biblically, which was considered as a manual labor. Monks were active in everything they did and, improving their grammar and spelling was highly recognized. Medieval monastery also consisted of vows, which the monks took while they entered the order. The vows were form of symbols which represented their dedication of life to the monastery. The order indicated that they were to give up all their worldly fortune and devote their lives to the Supreme Being. Other vows the middle age minks took represented poverty, chastity as well as obedience (Binggeli 87).
The monastery sought to establish an independent as well as self-reliant community whereby; the monks did not require anything from outside. Moreover, the middle age started as a small rank and, it grew faster in terms of wealth as well as population. The monk was secure since, it also involved a power structure in the community. Medieval society grew at a rapid rate and position thus; generating increase of wealth (Beach 113).
Just like style is used in literature genre, the monasteries used styles in worship, studying and also in labor to indicate their culture. Days were managed depending on the activities which were to begin with worship and end in the church (Smith 53).
All individuals in the monk were expected to attend all church services, which about two in the morning and the last one took place late in the evening. The day hours were long since they had to spend it studying the bible, praying as well as meditating privately. Middle age monasteries had a main building whereby, they were grouped with interior courts. In relevance to literature, bible is what the monks used and it has been highly appreciated as literature. Some bible versions in literature are considered as masterpiece in English writing style. In bible study, the middle age was implicated with knowledge probably from biblical stories. However, literature has recently involved retelling of biblical stories, with an aim of emphasizing their qualities (Gasquet 100).
Work Cited
Beach, Alison I. Manuscripts and Monastic Culture: Reform and Renewal in Twelfth Century Germany. Turnhout: Brepols, 2016. Print
Binggeli, Andre. Monastic Culture in Eastern Christianity, 300-1500. Place of publication not identified: Ashgate, 2014. Print.
Cels, Marc. Life in a Medieval Monastery. New York: Crabtree Pub, 2015. Print.
Gasquet, Francis A. Monastic Life in the Middle Ages with a Note on Great Britain and the Holy See 1792-1806. London: G. Bell, 2012. Print.
Smith, Katherine A. War and the Making of Medieval Monastic Culture. , 2013. Print.
