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A review by molang_madrigal
The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary by Hana Videen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
At first it seemed like this book was going to be a really interesting explanation of how we perceive animals and why we associate different qualities with them, but it very quickly turned into how medieval Christians turned basically everything that animals do into a morality lesson. It was quite depressing.
Also, like a lot of Anglo-Saxon historians, the author starts off by bemoaning how few Old English texts survive and how much we don’t know. But somehow, we seem to know everything that Anglo-Saxons thought about singular species like eagles and how they applied it to Christian beliefs, which is really quite an arcane subject! Bit weird…
Also, like a lot of Anglo-Saxon historians, the author starts off by bemoaning how few Old English texts survive and how much we don’t know. But somehow, we seem to know everything that Anglo-Saxons thought about singular species like eagles and how they applied it to Christian beliefs, which is really quite an arcane subject! Bit weird…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and Religious bigotry