The Devil’s Threat in Medieval Bestiaries: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in the Dragon, Serpent, Wolf, Fox, Ape, Whale, Hawk, Partridge, and Raven

Jane Beal

doi:10.14198/itaca.28809

Autors/ores

Jane Beal University of La Verne, Estats Units https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7738-898X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14198/itaca.28809

Paraules clau:

Bestiari d’Aberdeen, bestiari medieval, amenaça, temptació, mico, diable, drac, elefant, guineu, falcó, lleó, pantera, perdiu, corb, serp, llop

Resum

Per als contemplatius cristians medievals, el diable representava una clara amenaça espiritual per a aquells que buscaven ser piadosament devots a Jesús. Per evitar la conspiració del dimoni, es va aconsellar als monàstics que esessin i estudiessin les Escriptures. Això ho van fer, no només mitjançant manuscrits bíblics, sinó també bestiaris medievals, en els quals s’incorporaven les escriptures al costat d’imatges il·lustratives, informació científica i interpretació al·legòrica de les bèsties del món. Es va entendre que diverses bèsties i ocells significaven aspectes de l’arsenal del diable, especialment els seus vicis d’engany, orgull i pecat. Aquests emergeixen de la seva naturaleza com un àngel de llum caigut que ara és lleig, astut i sempre famolenc: busca empassar-se les ànimes dels homes atrapant-les amb coses materials, hipocresia i luxúria alhora que destrueix la seva capacitat de bon judici. Els animals associats amb l’amenaça del diable inclouen el drac, la serp, el simi, la balena, el llop, la guineu, el falcó, la perdiu i el corb. Una mirada més propera a la representació i interpretació d’aquests animals a l’exemplar bestiari d’Aberdeen pot donar als lectors una sensació més completa de la lluita espiritual en què es van sentir els contemplatius cristians medievals, així com de la saviesa que van utilitzar per combatre i vèncer l’amenaça diabòlica.

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