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The World of Bede
The World of Bede is an engaging and accessible introduction to the writings and intellectual development of the venerable Bede (d. 735), first historian of the English and one of the greatest scholars of the Middle Ages. Originally published in 1970 and out of print for many years, the book remains a minor classic of historical writing, now made available again for the enjoyment of all those interested in the early medieval world. A new preface and supplementary bibliography by Michael Lapidge have brought the book up to date.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 12, 2020
This is a book that comes in four parts with various chapters contained within each:
1, Alter Orbis
2, Towards Christianity
3, The Growth of Monasticism
4, Learning, teaching and writing
Not everything in this book tickled my fancy and I'm too old to want to read something that doesn't tickle my fancy. I didn't read the growth of monasticism or learning, teaching and writing. To give you an idea of the wonders contained in those chapters, one has an essay on Spanish influences in monasticism and the other has an essay that talks about reading and psalmody. Not my cup of tea at all.
Bede's view of Britain is about his geographical knowledge and this was surprisingly detailed. There were a few errors, but fewer bizarre assumptions than many people you can speak to today.
Britons and English touched on the adventus before detouring into the Finnsburg Fracas and Hygelac's raid. This was interesting, but it felt rather dated.
English Foundations touched upon the ethos of the war band and the early fighting. This was quite basic.
The initiation of a Mission was all about Pope Gregory. A lot of this was new to me and his letter requesting English slaves be bought so they may be given to God doesn't anticipate any difficulties in sourcing English within Gaul.
The Journey to England was a tale of letters. Augustine went back to Rome from Provence (I'd always assumed it was closer to England) when he hit difficulties and was then promoted to Abbot, but before he reached Kent he was bumped up to bishop.
Gregory's English correspondence showed that he always associated Augustine with London, rather than Canterbury, although the idea that Augustine suggested York for the other metropolitan see isn't especially plausible (similarly, his meeting with Angles from Deira who might have mentioned York feels apocryphal). I prefer the notion that Gregory was working from the place being associated with Constantine.
Bede's account of the mission, does what it says on the tin and shows him to be able to differentiate between evidence in papal letters, Canterbury tradition (via Albinus) and Northumbrian folklore.
The first archbishops of Canterbury takes us up to 625 and includes both meetings with British clergy and the rivalry between both groups. Considering how following the religious choice of an outside king is seen as being in submission to him in Anglo-Saxon England, I'm wondering if the Welsh saw it the same way and their refusal wasn't just pride in their rites.
Paulinus in Northumbria is largely a straight rewriting of Bede's account of his doings, without much being added to it.
'Celtic' and 'Roman' missionaries describes how the terminology can be misunderstood (an Irish monk may be Roman in practice and so on), before going on to show that there were a lot of Irish missionaries south of the Humber.
The rest of the book didn't interest me. Don't get me wrong, it's well written and makes what Hunter Blair is saying very accessible. However, it's also very basic. There isn't much investigation behind what the sources are very obviously telling us. My previous read, Nick Higham's An English Empire, was all about prising information from beyond what Bede had written and that was far more interesting and challenging.
For all of the insight that this book provides, you may as well just read Bede's EH, instead. This is an old book that you can pass by.
1, Alter Orbis
2, Towards Christianity
3, The Growth of Monasticism
4, Learning, teaching and writing
Not everything in this book tickled my fancy and I'm too old to want to read something that doesn't tickle my fancy. I didn't read the growth of monasticism or learning, teaching and writing. To give you an idea of the wonders contained in those chapters, one has an essay on Spanish influences in monasticism and the other has an essay that talks about reading and psalmody. Not my cup of tea at all.
Bede's view of Britain is about his geographical knowledge and this was surprisingly detailed. There were a few errors, but fewer bizarre assumptions than many people you can speak to today.
Britons and English touched on the adventus before detouring into the Finnsburg Fracas and Hygelac's raid. This was interesting, but it felt rather dated.
English Foundations touched upon the ethos of the war band and the early fighting. This was quite basic.
The initiation of a Mission was all about Pope Gregory. A lot of this was new to me and his letter requesting English slaves be bought so they may be given to God doesn't anticipate any difficulties in sourcing English within Gaul.
The Journey to England was a tale of letters. Augustine went back to Rome from Provence (I'd always assumed it was closer to England) when he hit difficulties and was then promoted to Abbot, but before he reached Kent he was bumped up to bishop.
Gregory's English correspondence showed that he always associated Augustine with London, rather than Canterbury, although the idea that Augustine suggested York for the other metropolitan see isn't especially plausible (similarly, his meeting with Angles from Deira who might have mentioned York feels apocryphal). I prefer the notion that Gregory was working from the place being associated with Constantine.
Bede's account of the mission, does what it says on the tin and shows him to be able to differentiate between evidence in papal letters, Canterbury tradition (via Albinus) and Northumbrian folklore.
The first archbishops of Canterbury takes us up to 625 and includes both meetings with British clergy and the rivalry between both groups. Considering how following the religious choice of an outside king is seen as being in submission to him in Anglo-Saxon England, I'm wondering if the Welsh saw it the same way and their refusal wasn't just pride in their rites.
Paulinus in Northumbria is largely a straight rewriting of Bede's account of his doings, without much being added to it.
'Celtic' and 'Roman' missionaries describes how the terminology can be misunderstood (an Irish monk may be Roman in practice and so on), before going on to show that there were a lot of Irish missionaries south of the Humber.
The rest of the book didn't interest me. Don't get me wrong, it's well written and makes what Hunter Blair is saying very accessible. However, it's also very basic. There isn't much investigation behind what the sources are very obviously telling us. My previous read, Nick Higham's An English Empire, was all about prising information from beyond what Bede had written and that was far more interesting and challenging.
For all of the insight that this book provides, you may as well just read Bede's EH, instead. This is an old book that you can pass by.
Read
November 7, 2016This seems to me to give a very good context for the study of the world of Bede. I enjoyed reading it and am sure I will return to it many times (and not just the parts about Wearmouth-Jarrow, which is close to me geographically and intellectually). Pleasing to see that a new printing has been required!
Read
March 1, 2010This is a bit of a dry read but very good for anyone who wants to know more about The Venerable Bede and why he was important for Anglo-Saxon England.
September 9, 2012
Highly recommended for anyone wishing to get an overview of Bede and his life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews