The early history of greed : the sin of avarice in early medieval thought and literature / Richard Newhauser.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Newhauser, Richard, 1947- author.

Series:

Cambridge studies in medieval literature ; 41.

Cambridge studies in medieval literature ; 41

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Avarice--History.

Avarice.

Christian ethics--History--Middle Ages, 600-1500.

Christian ethics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 246 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The history of avarice as the deadliest vice in western Europe has been said to begin in earnest only with the rise of capitalism or, earlier, the rise of a money economy. In this first full-length study of the early history of greed, Richard Newhauser shows that avaritia, the sin of greed for possessions, has a much longer history, and is more important for an understanding of the Middle Ages, than has previously been allowed. His examination of theological and literary texts composed between the first century CE and the tenth century reveals new significance in the portrayal of various kinds of greed, to the extent that by the early Middle Ages avarice was available to head the list of vices for authors engaged in the task of converting others from pagan materialism to Christian spirituality.

Contents:

Alms and ascetes, round stones and masons: avarice in the early church

Ascetic transformations I: monks and the laity in eastern Christendom

Ascetic transformations II: soaring eagles or safety in the herd

from anchoritic to cenobitic monasticism

Ascetic transformations III: the Latin West in the fourth and fifth centuries

Secularizing avarice and cupidity

Epilogue: Future perspectives.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 205-231) and indexes.

ISBN:

1-107-11167-6

0-511-01000-1

1-280-15170-6

0-511-11599-7

0-511-15090-3

0-511-32476-6

0-511-48599-9

0-511-05248-0

OCLC:

437072979