Life
as a Medieval Monk:
Fantasy vs. Reality
By
Laura Maybrooke
Writing fantasy
gives us access to fantastical worlds—ones unburdened by the nitty-gritty
details of reality. That is not to say a fantasy world can function without an
internal logic system, but that one needs not always adhere to the small details
of ancient everyday life.
Today I am
exploring the life of medieval monks—and by extension, showing how it contrasts
with the life of my priests in my fantasy novel Immortal Defiance and
its upcoming two sequels.
In my fantasy
novel, priests of Lordanys are dedicated monks, skilled at healing and herb
lore, but many of them are also excellent fighters. An example of such a
character in my novel is the high priest Myoden, an ally to the novel’s leading
lady, the elven enchantress Dulcea. His position as a high priest likens him to
an abbot of a medieval monastery. The priests’ powers are half magic, half hard
work. They dress in fancy embroidered robes and can marry and have children, own
worldly goods, and are free to leave the temple whenever.
Quite different
from the life of real medieval monks, would you not say?
In medieval times,
apart from some notable Irish exceptions, monks mostly lived and died within
the walls of the monastery they had once joined as a novice. Their possessions
were few: apart from a few sets of clothes, they usually only owned a comb, a
small sewing kit, a pen, and a knife. Grooming equipment such as razors were only
available at select times. The monks’ meagre possessions extended to their
sleeping space: they often had only a straw-filled mattress and a few woolen
blankets.
The life of a
medieval monk was one of constant work, whether physical or spiritual. Monasteries
differed in size: the smallest had only a dozen or less inhabitants, while the
larger ones could boast having over a hundred brothers. In France, in mid-12th
century, the monastery of Cluny Abbey at its peak had 460 monks living there.
The larger the
monastery, the wealthier it normally was. Although people of any rank could
apply to become a monk, many monks came from well-to-do families and provided
the monastery with considerable riches. In the smaller monasteries, the monks sometimes
needed to take care of all the chores of the monastery, including cooking,
cleaning, and laundry. The larger, wealthier monasteries often attracted many
lay brothers and could also afford to hire laborers for the manual work. Lay
brothers, where available, lived within the monastery’s walls—together but separate
from the monks—and adhered to some monastic regulations while doing manual
labor for the monastery and on its lands.
A monk’s duty was
never-ending. Their daily life consisted of worship, prayer, meditation,
reading, and manual labor. Breviary, the unabridged version of the more famous Book
of Hours, divided into eight sections—or hours—was the monks’ main prayer book.
It was read at eight specific times of the day in the monastery church, even
during the night at 2 am and then again at 5 am. These occasions were known as
follows: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers and Compline.
The monks’ dress
was basic, made from the cheapest cloth, and they normally owned only two
pieces of the same clothing. Their wardrobe consisted of linen underclothes, sometimes
hose or socks, a simple woolen tunic, a cowl, and a robe. During winter, a
sheepskin cloak provided extra warmth. Most monks received a new cowl and a robe
each Christmas. A monk’s cowl, a long sleeveless robe with a deep hood, remains
their most recognizable item of clothing to this day.
Like with the
cowl, medieval monks’ other most remembered distinguishing feature relates to
their appearance. Monastery rules required all monks to shave the top of their
head. This distinctive haircut, called a tonsure, left their heads shaven
except for a narrow strip of hair above the ears. For the monks, tonsures
symbolized their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem.
As the Middle Ages
progressed, different orders branched out from the Benedictine Rule practiced
by the first medieval monks. Different orders had different practices, and some
took vows of silence while others were not as strict. In general, though, all
main orders subscribed to three essential vows: those of poverty, chastity, and
obedience. Anyone breaking the monastic rules got reported to the abbot, and
depending on the severity of the transgression, possible punishments included
being beaten, exclusion from communal activities for a time, temporary
imprisonment, or even expulsion from the monastery.
What then
compelled people to become monks? Why would people sometimes send their
children to the monastery as young as at five years of age?
Almost no one
lived an easy life in the Middle Ages. The medieval world was rife with disease,
famine, warfare, and violence. Even the most powerful monarchs were in constant
danger of something uncontrollable upsetting their world. The life of a monk
was hard, but unlike most other career options, it offered a secure roof over
one’s head and above average quality and amount of food and drink for the
duration of one’s life.
As such, it is
difficult to say how many became monks for the sole purpose of devoting their
lives to serving God, and how many just to live life in a secure retreat, to
escape from violence and warfare, or to lead a peaceful and quiet life.
Monasteries contributed
in an important way to the communities near them. Anyone joining the monastery
could receive an education there, learning reading, writing, arithmetic, and
Latin. The monks produced and copied books and illuminated manuscripts, travelers
could find a room with them when needed, and they also helped the poor by
providing medical care, orphanages, homes for the aged, and public baths.
Monasteries were also great patrons of the arts and looked after many pilgrim
sites.
While monkhood was
not always a permanent career choice, particularly from the 13th
century onwards, most monks had no need or desire to leave the monastery after
their acceptance into it. Because of this, monasteries were self-sufficient and
provided its inhabitants with all the things necessary for survival, including
education, food, spiritual sustenance, medical care, and barber services. The
specific skills present in each monastery depended on the monks’ own training
and interests.
For more
information on medieval monks and their everyday life and habits, start with
Ancient History Encyclopedia:
or Medieval Life
and Times:
Both of which
sites were used to contribute to the content of this article, along with my own
knowledge and impressions gathered throughout the years.
Immortal Defiance
(Dulcea’s Rebellion #1)
By Laura Maybrooke
Some things never die. Hope. Heroes. Defiance.
Things take a strange turn for Dulcea, the elven enchantress turned war heroine and Dragonmistress, when a countryman's betrayal lands her in enemy hands.
As she awaits her execution, a stranger with mysterious powers offers her another chance at life. Will she die here or risk what sinister fate he has in store for her?
Can Dulcea reclaim her rightful place and lead her army once more? Or does Krath, the man who travels the Realm of the Dead as one of its own, prove to be the obstacle that fells her rebellion?
… Or will this immortal vampire warrior turn out to be the best chance she has of defying the ancient evil arising in the west?
Things take a strange turn for Dulcea, the elven enchantress turned war heroine and Dragonmistress, when a countryman's betrayal lands her in enemy hands.
As she awaits her execution, a stranger with mysterious powers offers her another chance at life. Will she die here or risk what sinister fate he has in store for her?
Can Dulcea reclaim her rightful place and lead her army once more? Or does Krath, the man who travels the Realm of the Dead as one of its own, prove to be the obstacle that fells her rebellion?
… Or will this immortal vampire warrior turn out to be the best chance she has of defying the ancient evil arising in the west?
Excerpt
Dulcea stared at the black ceiling, shivering from the
cold of the underground. She attempted to recount all the important things in
her life before it was to end when out of nowhere she heard a soft voice.
“A damsel in distress.” To her confused surprise, the
language spoken was Caerynian Common instead of Sarusean, the tone of the words
fascinated. “A maiden sacrifice.”
Dulcea thought she saw a shadow move from the corner of
her eye, but when she turned her head to look there was no one there. For an
instant, fear took her breath away.
The seconds ticked by, but nothing happened. She saw no
one.
“Aren’t you going to ask who’s there?” the voice asked her
after a moment, sounding amused.
It was a man’s voice, deep and smooth—almost familiar,
like something half heard in a dream.
She drew in a shuddering breath. “Who are you?”
“I could tell you my name, but it would mean nothing to
you,” the voice said. “I can tell you what
I am instead: I am the beast that has come to collect you.”
Her blood ran cold. The hair on her nape stiffened.
Her throat felt raw. “Keep away from me!”
“You are afraid. Good. You should be. Things do not look
good for you.”
Dulcea whipped her head from side to side, but still she
saw no one. The voice seemed to come from a different direction every time it
spoke. She could not tell if she was talking to a person under an invisibility
spell or a disembodied spirit.
“What do you want?”
There came a soft, answering chuckle from somewhere
nearby. “If only it were that easy. What do I want? The mind can want one
thing, the heart another. Reason and instinct can both be at conflict. It is
not so much about wanting as it is
about choosing a path, and I have not yet chosen.”
“Who do you serve?” He sounded different from the priests.
“I serve no one.”
“No. Everyone serves someone, even kings and emperors.”
“I am neither a king nor an emperor, but I serve no one.”
Dulcea froze. Fear entered her mind. She had the sudden
dreadful premonition that perhaps she was already dead and talking to Asherac
himself.
“You refused to heed the counsel of your friends,” the
voice said. “You ignored the caution advised to you, only to find yourself in
this wretched place. How does that make you feel?”
Her breath failed her. Dulcea wheezed, trying to calm the
panicked fluttering of her heart.
“I bet you have some regrets and would welcome a second
chance.”
The faintest hope stirred in her breast at his words.
Perhaps he meant her no malice.
“Yes…” Her tone was cautious. “I wish for a second
chance.”
“It is a vain wish. There are no second chances. All of us
we only get one try, and if we fail, we must live with the consequences. You
have failed. I am not here to rescue you. I am merely here to offer you a
different kind of nightmare.”
“What… what are you talking about?”
“I cannot seem to choose on my own, so you must do it for
me. Would you like to take your chances with me… or with them?”
The Coffee Pot Book Club
★★★★★
Highly Recommended
Read the full review HERE!
Pick up your copy of
Immortal Defiance
Laura Maybrooke
"I live in my own little world. But it's ok, they know me here." (Who besides me has this fridge magnet; raise your hand!)
That's sometimes what it feels like. Who says stories aren't real? I live in the land of the Midnight Sun and Polar Nights, together with my husband and daughter, and a cast of fantasy characters running around in my head. It's busy here. Care to stay and chat a while?
Laura Maybrooke is an 80s' child, who works too much and writes too little, but who'll never say no to a thrilling romance, a high fantasy adventure, or a cookbook full of delicious treats she'd like to bake one day.
Connect with Laura: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest.
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx