Medievalism in the Modern World

The twenty-six essays in this volume have been written by a select number of experienced practitioners of medievalism, most of whom also happen to be friends and/or collaborators of Leslie J. Workman. While using different approaches and discussing topics in a variery of specialised fields, all the contributors clearly centre on negotiating the reception of medieval culture in the Early Modern, Modern, and Contemporary periods, thus presenting a broad and representative picture of current research in medievalism. The essays examine the process of creating the Middle Ages. In so doing they honour Workman by leading the academic study of medievalism towards the comprehensiveness which Lord Action as early as 1859 had promised: 'Two great principles divide the world, and contend for the mastery: antiquity and the Middle Ages. These are the two civilizations that have preceded us, the two elements of which ours is composed. All political as well as religious questions reduce themselves practically to this. This is the great dualism that runs through our society. '