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Monsters, Prodigies, and Demons: Medieval and Early Modern Constructions of Alterity

Edited by: Marcus Hensel , Melissa Ridley Elmes and Juanita Feros Ruys

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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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Proposals or completed manuscripts to be considered for publication in this series should be sent to Tyler Cloherty (tylercloherty44@gmail.com), the acquisitions editor for the series.

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Book Ahead of Publication 2022

Portraits of Human Monsters in the Renaissance

Dwarves, Hirsutes, and Castrati as Idealized Anatomical Anomalies

Touba Ghadessi

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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. These monsters evolved from objects of curiosity, to scientific cases, to legally independent beings. Although many images of and writings about these individuals depict them as jokes of nature or indices of courtly wit, others transcend these categories, combining a vocabulary of courtly self-fashioning with close observations akin to dissections that humanize monsters, while simultaneously stressing their anatomical difference. More importantly, the works examined in this book point to the intricate cultural, religious, ethical, and scientific perceptions of monstrous individuals who were fixtures in contemporary courts. From entertainers to advisors, and from faithful companions to collectible objects, monsters at court held liminal positions used by rulers to create and shape their own personae.

ISBN:: 9781580442763
ISBN:: 9781501512803
Subject:: Arts
Subject:: Periods
Subject:: 16th-17th Century
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Early Modern History
Subject:: Topics in History
Subject:: Social History
Publisher:: Medieval Institute Publications

Monsters, Prodigies, and Demons: Medieval and Early Modern Constructions of Alterity

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