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Older research on the premodern world limited its focus on the Church, the court, and, more recently, on urban space. The present volume invites readers to consider the meaning of rural space, both in light of ecocritical readings and social-historical approaches. While previous scholars examined the figure of the peasant in the premodern world, the current volume combines a large number of specialized studies that investigate how the natural environment and the appearance of members of the rural population interacted with the world of the court and of the city. The experience in rural space was important already for writers and artists in the premodern era, as the large variety of scholarly approaches indicates. The present volume signals how much the surprisingly close interaction between members of the aristocratic and of the peasant class determined many literary and art-historical works. In a surprisingly large number of cases we can even discover elements of utopia hidden in rural space. We also observe how much the rural world was a significant element already in early-medieval mentality. Moreover, as many authors point out, the impact of natural forces on premodern society was tremendous, if not catastrophic.

Literature, Medieval --- Peasants in literature. --- Rural conditions in literature. --- European literature --- Ecocriticism. --- Ecological literary criticism --- Environmental literary criticism --- Criticism --- Peasantry in literature --- History and criticism. --- Early Modern Age. --- Medieval Culture. --- Middle Ages. --- Rural Space.

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While most people today take hygiene and medicine for granted, they both have had their own history. We can gain deep insights into the pre-modern world by studying its health-care system, its approaches to medicine, and concept of hygiene. Already the early Middle Ages witnessed great interest in bathing (hot and cold), swimming, and good personal hygiene. Medical activities grew over time, but even early medieval monks were already great experts in treating the sick. The contributions examine literary, medical, historical texts and images and probe the information we can glean from them. The interdisciplinary approach of this volume makes it possible to view this large field in a complex and diversified manner, taking into account both early medieval and early modern treatises on medicine, water, bathing, and health. Such a cultural-historical perspective creates a most valuable bridge connecting literary and scientific documents under the umbrella of the history of mentality and history of everyday life. The volume does not aim at idealizing the past, but it definitely intends to deconstruct modern myths about the 'dirty' and 'unhealthy' Middle Ages and early modern age.

Spirituality --- Bathing customs --- Water --- Hygiene in literature. --- Literature, Medieval --- Literature, Modern --- Hygiene --- Public health --- Community health --- Health services --- Hygiene, Public --- Hygiene, Social --- Public health services --- Public hygiene --- Social hygiene --- Health --- Human services --- Biosecurity --- Health literacy --- Medicine, Preventive --- National health services --- Sanitation --- Body care --- Cleanliness --- Human body --- Personal body care --- Personal cleanliness --- Personal hygiene --- Hydrology --- Bathing beaches --- Baths --- Spiritual-mindedness --- Philosophy --- Religion --- Spiritual life --- Social aspects --- History --- History and criticism. --- Care and hygiene --- Europe --- Council of Europe countries --- Eastern Hemisphere --- Eurasia --- Social conditions --- Social life and customs --- History of Hygiene and Baths. --- History of Medicine. --- Pre-modern Health Care.