The Jew as an Absent-presence in Late Medieval England

Download or read book The Jew as an Absent-presence in Late Medieval England written by Gloria Cigman and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflects why after the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 they remained a persistent phenomenon in English culture, e.g. as a recurring image in passion plays and in literature (for instance, in Chaucer). Medieval culture identified the Jew with the Devil and with Judas. Jesus' enemies were always depicted, in plays and in iconography, as Jews. Contends that the absence of a real Jewish presence allowed the development of a negative model essential to the religious instruction of Christians. Jew-hatred was used to reinforce the Christian faith, an urgent need in the 14th century when the Church faced heresies and growing inertia of the clergy and laity.