Binding Passions. Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power at the End of the Renaissance

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Binding Passions. Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power at the End of the Renaissance is a book by the historian Guido Ruggiero , published in 1993 by Oxford University Press . In five sections, the themes of sexuality, marriage, power, magic and everyday life in the Venice region at the time of the Italian Renaissance are examined. The book can be assigned to the research discipline of microhistory , but this classification is controversial.

Interest in knowledge and procedure

The book is based on the thesis that at the end of the 16th century the hidden passions passions , especially the physical passions of the flesh , were moved into a parallel world with its own values, rules and culture. This because the Christian society demanded a suppression of these passions. The aim of the book is to explore this parallel world. Ruggiero lays down further aspects, the function and significance of which he wants to examine more closely, and defines them as: “Prostitution, cohabitation , love magic, renegade clerics , double standards regarding male promiscuity , social hierarchy that ignores the chicane of women in lower classes and one Image of sex that goes hand in hand with a passive-active dialectic that can easily slip into violence. ”Already in the introduction it is mentioned that his expectations of a fundamentally opposing parallel world were not met. Instead, he came across a slightly shifted parallel world in which similar forms of dealing with passions prevailed as were to be found in society as a whole. However, the meanings associated with them were different from those in society as a whole and, according to Ruggiero, were often more poetic.

The author assumes that in the period under study at the end of the 16th century, the local inquisition made the parallel world more visible and tangible, as many detailed questioning and trial files were created. In his work, he mainly relied on trial files and documents from the Venice State Archives , the Archivio della Curia Vescovile di Feltre and the records from the archives of the Holy Office in Venice. The Holy Office of Venice was founded in 1547 as part of the local Inquisition and was a cooperation between the secular city government of Venice and the Church. The aim of this body was the fight against heresy , witchcraft , magic and superstition.

From his research, Guido Ruggiero built five stories to which he added historical backgrounds and classifications. For example, he also used literature from the 16th century, such as excerpts from Pietro Aretino's Ragionamenti in the first chapter , which he commented on and with the help of which he tried to classify individual motifs in the perspectives of the time.

Guido Ruggiero describes his approach as historical storytelling, trying to combine storytelling with micro-history. Its aim is to add an aesthetic dimension to analytical technology and thus make the reading experience entertaining. It is not his concern to present final truths, but rather to introduce the reader to the everyday world and the subject of the passions in Venice of the late 16th century with well-researched stories. According to Guido Ruggiero, influences on historical narrative writing come from the historians Carlo Ginzburg , Edoardo Grendi , Natalie Zemon Davis , Gene Brucker , David Sabean , Robert Darnton and John Demo . The book is dedicated to Natalie Zemon Davis and Gaetano Cozzi .

Table of contents

The book is divided into five sections, each of which tells independent stories.

Introduction: Carne Vale and Carnival

In the introduction, the case of two young noblemen who harassed a prostitute during the Carnival in Venice is introduced into the question, methodological approach, background and subject complexes of the book (see also cognitive interest and approach ). Using the picture of the carnival, a time of emergency, Ruggiero explains the title-giving theme of the Binding Passions , in English for example: the (back) binding of passions. According to him, in the Western tradition, the flesh / body and its passions have always been classified as threatening in various ways. The opposite would also be "correct" forms of the passions, which contribute to the order of society.

Love Bound: Adriana Savorgnan, Common Whore, Courtesan and Noble Wife

The first part of the book is about Adriana Savorgnan, a courtesan from the city of Venice. She married Marco Dandolo , who belonged to one of the most important families in the city. His family wanted to have the marriage annulled and accused Adriana at the Holy Office of having tied Marco to herself by means of a love spell and forcing him into marriage. The topics discussed in this section include the relationship between the worlds of courtesans and elites, as well as the life of prostitutes and the social levels that existed among prostitutes. In this chapter, Ruggiero focuses primarily on the boundaries of class and status that bound Adriana in her role as a prostitute and that Marco had bound through values ​​and family honor. In doing so, he examines the aspects of prostitution, cohabitation and love magic more closely and how they are related to the boundaries of class and status.

"More Dear to Me Than Life Itself": Marriage, Honor, and a Woman's Reputation in the Renaissance

In the second part Elena Cumano is presented. Elena Cumano was the daughter of a lawyer and lived in the small town of Feltre . She was impregnated by her lover, Gianbattista Faceno, who came from a respected family, after he had promised her to marry her. Before he had redeemed this, however, he disappeared from her life. She was accused by the Holy Office of trying to bind Gianbattista Faceno to herself using a wax figure, magic and witchcraft. This section covers the topics of marriage, marriage, family, family honor, social hierarchy, love spells, allegations of witchcraft and their effects. In doing so, Ruggiero tries to show the complex relationships between marriage, honor and reputation and how this network was used by individual women to their advantage.

That Old Black Magic Called Love

The third section of the book is about the collaboration between the Venetian courtesan Paolina di Rossi and the cleric Don Felice di Bibona. Mainly it is about the world of love magic which was shaped by women and their networks. Associated with this were also spiritual, physical, spatial and verbal dimensions, which will be discussed in more detail in this section. Ruggiero also particularly goes into the adaptation of Christian signs, words and symbols in the area of ​​magical acts. It shows how well-known systems were taken up in this parallel world of belief in the magical and how their meaning was modified or supplemented.

The Women Priests of Latisana: Apollonia Madizza and the Ties That Bind

The fourth part is about Apollonia Madizza, who came from the small town of Latisana . Apollonia and her allies were charged as witches. Nevertheless, they were greatly respected by the village community. Her magic was embedded in spiritual practices that were so important to the community that Apollonia and her allies were seen as a kind of priestess of the village. In this section the magic of love spells is placed in a local context. The main focus is on the stereotypes that have developed in relation to witches, magic and the power of women. Ruggiero emphasizes how important the spiritual practices, which did not come directly from the church, were for the everyday life of the residents of the small town. He describes their spirituality as shaped by church and alternative practices alike. These alternative practices were heavily influenced by ecclesiastical motives and adapted to everyday issues such as love, passions and illness.

"The Fortune-Telling Fair": Fra Aurelio di Siena and the Wages of Sin

The last story is about the priest and monk Aurelio di Siena, who moved agile between the worlds. In addition to his work as a clergyman, he kept his own courtesans and earned a lot of money with prophecies and magical acts of love and health. He was charged at least four times by the Holy Office and ended up going to jail. It becomes clear how differently he was perceived and judged by society than the women described in the previous chapters. It also gives a male view of a world that is otherwise dominated by women. In the course of the chapter, a question that runs through the whole book is also highlighted: the question of the relationship between the various levels of culture and sexes at the end of the Renaissance. However, she does not find a final answer. According to Ruggiero, this story brings together the themes of prostitution, marriage, honor, magic, love spells, renegade clerics and double standards of male promiscuity. It shows in an extreme example how easily Aurelio di Siena could move back and forth between the worlds of the Church and the passions of the flesh and how close and far they were at the same time.

Closing words: The Poetry of the Everyday and Binding Passions

In the closing words, Ruggiero once again emphasizes his intention to present the stories of individual people and their everyday lives and not to go into large historical structures. This approach would make it difficult for him to draw any final conclusions. What he highlights, however, is marriage as the central reference for binding passions and magic as important in the discourse on binding.

reception

The classification of the book in the genre of micro-history is controversial. Guido Ruggiero does not describe his monograph in the book itself as a micro-historical study, but as a mixture of storytelling and micro-history.

In the reviews there are some critical voices, such as those by Thomas V. Cohen . He does not see the book as a micro-historical study in the strict sense, since it is not a single case that is rolled out and commented on, but several short stories lead to general conclusions. In Thomas V. Cohen's eyes, these conclusions do not lead to a sharp thesis. Nevertheless, he praises the multitude of micro-stories that Ruggiero tells, as this can invalidate a criticism that is occasionally carried out on micro-historical studies. Namely, that individual micro-historically examined cases are not conclusive enough to prove anything. As further links of the book to micro-history, he lists the interest in the small and bizarre, the tolerance of open ends, the author's awareness of his role and the occasional playfulness.

Thomas Kuehn and Robert Finlay share Thomas V. Cohen's view, a lack of sharp thesis. They emphasize that the reader is left with some unanswered questions and that the conclusions are largely left to him or her. István Szijártó also remarks that Ruggiero himself does not come to a final conclusion and questions to what extent it is even possible for Ruggiero to answer the questions asked at the beginning using his method. The criticism of the missing conclusions shows that an essential part of Szijártó's definition of microhistory is missing in this work, namely the answer to major historical questions. Nevertheless, István Szijártó deals with the book in What is microhistory? Theory and practice , whereby he recognizes it as relevant for microhistory, even if it does not entirely meet his definition.

The methodology of historical storytelling is also critically assessed in the reviews. Konrad Eisenbichler and Thomas Kuehn recognize the book as belonging to micro-history, but in their eyes the literary interest of the author is more important than the historical one. Robert Finlay, however, particularly emphasizes the ending soaked in Weltschmerz, which expresses the sentimentality that the book is characterized by in his eyes. Furthermore, Kuehn explains that the historical sources are not classified critically enough and that the text lacks consistent theories and methodology. Even Paul F. Grendler notes that additional for him background information, like the original statements are missing from the archive documents in the appendix.

In Julie Robin Solomons review, the focus is on Ruggiero's research regarding the connection between magic and theology. She mentions the complex interpretation of the hierarchical rules of society for the suppression of the passions. However, no general historical statements or theories about the meaning of magic in the early modern period are interpreted.

Otherwise, the book was largely received positively. Paul F. Grendler praises Ruggiero's good knowledge of his Venetian sources and the interesting stories he has to tell without bringing dry theory to the reader. Thomas V. Cohen describes the book as vivid, lively and very instructive. Natalia Nevzorova recommends the book to a large number of amateurs and academics for reading. She describes it as “a fruitful addition to the study of Venetian society at the end of the Renaissance and as a valuable contribution to the work of the Italian school on this subject.” The book's circulation is limited, however. The first edition is available and has not been translated into any other language.

output

  • English original edition: Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, ISBN 0-19-507930-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 12.
  2. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 12.
  3. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 13.
  4. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 12.
  5. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 19.
  6. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 9.
  7. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, pp. 19-20.
  8. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 18.
  9. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, pp. 18-19.
  10. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 11.
  11. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 20.
  12. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 21.
  13. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 21.
  14. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 21.
  15. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, pp. 21-22.
  16. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, pp. 223-228.
  17. ↑ Guido Ruggiero: Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. Oxford University Press, New York 1993, p. 19.
  18. ↑ Thomas V. Cohen: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Journal of Social History , 28/3, 1995, p. 669.
  19. ^ Thomas Kuehn: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Journal of the History of Sexuality , 5/1, 1994, p. 147.
  20. ^ Robert Finlay: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: The Journal of Modern History , 67/2, 1995, p. 454.
  21. ↑ István Szijártó, Sigurdur Gylfi Magnússon: What is micro history? Theory and Practice. Routledge, London / New York 2013, p. 59.
  22. ^ Konrad Eisenbichler: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Renaissance Quarterly , 48/4, 1995, p. 859.
  23. ^ Thomas Kuehn: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Journal of the History of Sexuality , 5/1, 1994, p. 147.
  24. ^ Robert Finlay: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: The Journal of Modern History , 67/2, 1995, p. 454.
  25. ^ Thomas Kuehn: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Journal of the History of Sexuality , 5/1, 1994, p. 147.
  26. ↑ Paul F. Grendler: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: The American Historical Review , 100/2, 1995, p. 550.
  27. ↑ Julie Robin Solomon: Guido Ruggieri. Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Bulletin of the History of Medicine , 68/3, 1994, pp. 519-520.
  28. ↑ Paul F. Grendler: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: The American Historical Review , 100/2, 1995, p. 550.
  29. ↑ Thomas V. Cohen: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: Journal of Social History , 28/3, 1995, p. 669.
  30. ↑ Natalia Nevzorova: Review of Binding Passions: Tales of Magic, Marriage and Power from the End of the Renaissance. In: International Journal of Comparative Sociology , 37 / 3–4, 1996, p. 311.