Thursday, October 11, 2007
What it really means to “get medieval”
 “I’m going to get medieval on you.” Marcellus Wallace vows revenge with words like these in the Quentin Tarantino film, “Pulp Fiction.” The scene suggests that Wallace’s chosen form of punishment will be particularly violent and savage, and perpetuates a stereotype that Dr. Jason Hardgrave, assistant professor of history, works to combat. Hardgrave teaches a course in medieval history and will present the College of Liberal Arts Faculty Colloquium, “Medieval Justice Personified and Enacted,” at 3:30 p.m. Friday, October 12, in Kleymeyer Hall in the Liberal Arts Center. He and said the middle ages “is not simply a cruel time.” “Medieval concepts of justice are not as alien as perhaps most people think them to be,” he said. “We think of the Inquisition, the rack, and burning at the stake, and that’s not the beginning and end of medieval justice. It’s also the era that gave us trials, witnesses, evidence, and also – unfortunately - lawyers.” In his colloquium, he plans to refute the myth of the middle ages as obscenely dark and cruel, as well as show the era’s relevance to contemporary times. “Our justice system is based on the system of law in England, and that system of justice is based in the middle ages,” he said. He also will show how Justice was portrayed in art through paintings and statuary. Hardgrave joined USI in 2004. He was the first recipient of USI’s Scavone Award in Medieval Manuscripts and Culture, established in honor of Dr. Daniel Scavone, professor emeritus of history, by John Lawrence ’73. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming and his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. The College of Liberal Arts Faculty Colloquium is a free lecture series featuring faculty research in the College of Liberal Arts. For more information, contact Dr. Teresa Huerta, coordinator, at 812/465-7053. Wendy Knipe Bredhold USI News and Information Services wkbredhold@usi.edu 812/461-5259 |
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