Book of the Week: "The art of provocation" - how to respond to an insult in the Renaissance style
Books / / December 19, 2019
There are always those who tirelessly repeats that earlier it was not so. People were tolerant and respectful. Nobody scatter insults and obscenity did not. Debauch and crime suppressed standing high moral standards. For those who believe in it, historian Ruth Goodman produced a great response in the form of the book "The art of provocation. As pushing for a crime, drunk and justify corruption in Britain of the Renaissance. "
Author primarily interested in social life and family life. Together with fellow historians Goodman filmed several documentaries for the BBC, which have been recreated life on the farm in Tudor times, the celebration of Christmas in the Victorian era and everyday pharmacy mid XIX century.
In his works, the author shows how in the past people were farming, the plant family, swore with neighbors and recovered from the soul in the pub after a hard day's work. This is the first book of Ruth Goodman, who translated and published in Russian, and it was a welcome pleasure for everyone fascinating Renaissance. However, do not expect her stories of great deeds and immaculate ceremonial or caring for the culture and lofty speeches:
Ruth Goodman, "The art of provocation"Welcome to the age of misconduct. Forget the stories about the great and the good: this story is not the ideal people and their flaws.
Rules that prevailed in England in the XVI-XVII centuries, discussed here only in order to show how they are violated. The author did not sprinkle powdered sugar facts. Each chapter describes a peculiar people vices - abusive speech, ridicule, rude gestures, violent, nasty habits and disgusting body hygiene. And all this flavored with pictures and engravings of the time for clarity.
Then it was thought quite familiar shout man, for example, that he turd in his mouth (a turd in your teeth). And in the book of Goodman explains where it came from so wild a century for our offense. And still taught by the example of the inhabitants of England XVI century, as can be witty answer someone's aggressive offer to kiss his ass.
However, the author notes that a certain refinement in those days still present. For example, when people want to blame the woman too frivolous behavior, he could not use vulgar words and flowery hint that the husband she cuckold, funny poem or compose. And sometimes, for this and the words I did not have - an insult could serve even a special kind of bow.
Whether we like it or not, but such behavior was typical of the people at all times. And if we study history, it completely and not only those points that are shown in the romantic films of kings. Goodman And yet the book is worth reading in order to genuinely be happy for yourself. Enough to get acquainted with all the amenities feminine hygiene the time to assess recent progress.
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- Book of the day: "Suffer the Middle Ages" - whimsical drawings of ancient manuscripts with commentaries of historians
- 7 Ways to correctly answer an insult