Bahrisch, Eunju; (2016) Why Did the Demon Come at Noontide? Understanding Acedia in Medieval Monastic Life. Kodikas/Code. Ars semeiotica : an international journal of semiotics , 39 (1-2) pp. 39-47.

Preview

Text Why_Did_the_Demon_Come_at_Noontide (1).pdf - Published Version Download (500kB) | Preview

Abstract

Just as most confined communities or institutions, medieval monasteries were problematic places where basic physical and psychological needs were limited. In this research, I designate acedia as a dominant emotion in medieval monastic life. Acedia was often misunderstood as equivalent to modern-day boredom, however, it was a religious sin rather than a temporary emotional state. My focus in this research is not limited to defining what acedia was. Instead, I take notice of several less asked questions on this particular medieval emotion.Why was acedia a deadly sin? Why was it felt at noontide? Why was the meaning of acedia transformed from apathy in solitude to sloth or idleness? To answer these questions, I will demonstrate that acedia was neither sloth nor boredom, but it was an active craving for physical comfort.To comprehend the true nature of acedia, I compare acedia to taedium, melancholy, ennui and boredom. Furthermore, by closely looking at medieval monks’ daily schedule, I attempted to clarify why acedia was felt around noontide. Analysing the monks’ daily life and symptoms of acedia, I carefully suggest that acedia might be connected to anxiety caused by hunger. Throughout my research, new aspects of acedia will be discussed, which will offer a better understanding of the emotion.

Download activity - last month

Export as CSVJSONXML

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as JSONXMLCSV

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as JSONXMLCSV

Archive Staff Only

View Item