Monsters, Prodigies and Demons: Medieval and Early Modern Constructions of Alterity
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Monsters, Prodigies, and Demons: Medieval and Early Modern Constructions of Alterity is dedicated to the study of monstrosity and alterity in the medieval and early modern world, and to the investigation of cultural constructions of otherness, abnormality and difference from a wide range of perspectives.
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"Histoires Prodigieuses; the Monster of Cracow," 1559, London, Wellcome Collection. Public domain.
Keywords: Monsters, monstrosity, supernatural, alterity, otherness, hybridity, disability studies, grotesque, race studies, whiteness studies, colonial studies, history of emotions
Geographical scope: Global
Chronological scope: Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern
Series editors
To submit a proposal or completed manuscript to be considered for publication by Medieval Institute Publications or to learn more about the series, contact Tyler Cloherty, the acquisitions editor for the series.
The series board comprises:
- Marcus Hensel, Bethany College, Lindsborg
- Melissa Ridley Elmes, Lindenwood University
- Juanita Feros Ruys, University of Sydney
Publications
Portraits of Human Monsters in the Renaissance: Dwarves, Hirsutes, and Castrati as Idealized Anatomical Anomalies
By Touba Ghadessi, Wheaton College
At the center of this interdisciplinary study are court monsters - dwarves, hirsutes, and misshapen individuals - who, by their very presence, altered Renaissance ethics vis-à-vis anatomical difference, social virtues, and scientific knowledge. The study traces how these monsters evolved from objects of curiosity, to scientific cases, to legally independent beings. The works examined here point to the intricate cultural, religious, ethical, and scientific perceptions of monstrous individuals who were fixtures in contemporary courts.
MPD Monograph 1, ISBN 978-1-58044-275-6 (clothbound), 978-1-58044-276-3 (PDF) © 2018
