Medieval and Early Modern Centre (University of Sydney) lecture
series:
Paper Title:
Murder / Suicide in the Media During the little Ice Age.
Guest presenter:
Dr David Lederer (National University of
Ireland, Maynooth)
Dr Lederer is visiting Australia as a guest of the ARC Centre of
Excellence for the History of Emotions (Adelaide node)
Time and Date:
5pm on Wednesday 8th August
Venue:
Woolley Common Room
University of Sydney
Abstract:
This paper identifies a pedagogical relationship between the
subsistence crises of the Little Ice Age and the Protestant emotion
of brotherly love (Nächstenliebe) as portrayed in early modern
media. Between 1553 and 1613, at least seven German-language
broadsheets and pamphlets directly treated the subject of
suicide. All dealt with violent murders of families by the
head of the family, followed by their own self-inflicted
death. The first treats the case of an innkeeper who murders
his pregnant wife for no other apparent reason than demonic
temptation. However, all six others deal with heads of
families who, faced with the imminent starvation of their families
during acute subsistence crises, murder their children and spouses
out of mercy and then take their own lives. Although the deed
is never justified outright, the authors explicitly plays upon
readers' sympathy for the plight of poor neighbors and identifies
an intermediary culprit between the perpetrator and Satan - a rich
relative, nobleman or other local figure - who refuses the family
charity. All are composed by evangelical Protestants.
In each case, they invoke the spirit of brotherly love among
neighbors to remind readers of their communal responsibility of
public assistance, especially during "these troubled
times".
Further inquiries:
Dr Juanita
Feros Ruys
Director of the Medieval and Early Modern Centre (University of
Sydney)
Director of the Sydney node of the ARC Centre of
Excellence for the History of Emotions (Europe 1100 - 1800)
