Highly praised by British press and available to U.S. audiences for the first time, Medieval Lives debuts on DVD on August 26, 2014 from Athena, an RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:RLJE) brand. Presented by Cambridge historian, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Making History, and author of the award-winning book Blood & Roses Dr. Helen Castor, Medieval Lives is an engrossing glimpse into the experiences of birth, marriage, and death in the Middle Ages. In this production recently aired on the BBC in 2013, Castor proves an entertaining and engaging host as she reveals new details about these pivotal moments in people’s private lives. This DVD 2-disc set features three episodes ($34.99, AcornOnline.com). Castor also presented the well-regarded Athena release She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens. Medieval Lives will be available to public television stations, through APT, beginning in September 2014.
In
Medieval Lives, Dr. Helen Castor examines how the people of the
Middle Ages handled three of life’s great rites of passage—birth,
marriage, and death. Why were physicians of no help to women enduring
the pains of labor and the dangers of childbirth?
Why were newly married couples “put to bed” by the priest on their
wedding night? What did it mean to “die well” and why was death such a
communal affair, both before and after it happened?
In
seeking answers to these and other questions about the medieval world,
Castor examines the ways in which the Church dominated the rites and
rituals
of life, and how every aspect of people’s daily existence was colored
by their awareness of the afterlife. She goes on to reveal that, by the
end of the Middle Ages, changes in the Church as a result of the
Protestant Reformation would mean that these rituals
would never be the same again.
Episodes:
A Good Birth; A Good Marriage; A Good Death
BONUS FEATURES
·
12-page
viewer’s guide with a timeline, articles on the eras within the Middle
Ages and the Black Death; biographies of selected medieval movers and
shakers; and fun facts
·
Biography of Helen Castor
Street Date: August 26, 2014 SRP:
$34.99
DVD 2-Disc Set: 3 episodes – Approx. 186 min. – SDH Subtitles
UPC 0-54961-2206-9-4 ISBN 978-1-62172-206-9
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My Thoughts
I have always been fascinated by the lives of our ancestors. Medieval Lives gives us an intimate look at what life was really like in the Middle Ages. This DVD set focuses on three aspects of life that were very important to the people in both a physical and spiritual sense--birth, marriage, and death. Narrated by Helen Castor, this series gives us a unique look at the past. There are three exciting episodes including:
A Good Birth- Childbirth wasn't always the happy event it is today back in Medieval Times. Women were taking their lives in their hands every time they gave birth and many would succumb to complications and infection. The infants lives were just as fragile and at times the chance of survival would've been slim and the possibility of an unbaptized child being damned was a true fear for many. Childbirth was women's work and men weren't even allowed in the room for the event. The average age when these girls started to have children was around thirteen.
A Good Marriage- In Medieval Times, marriage was more about a good arrangement than love in many cases. The ceremonies were simple but elegant in their simplicity. All you needed were words of consent from both parties to seal the bond, but once it was made, there was no divorce to get a women away from an abusive husband or a man away from a money-grubbing spouse. Till death do us part was very literal in these times.
A Good Death- In the Middle Ages, death was always close at hand. Disease, famines, war--all of these made life precarious. Men and women alike lived in the hopes of dying well and with honor. The promise of an eternity in paradise made most of their lives one long preparation for death.
I really enjoyed this documentary. I learned so much about the traditions of the Middle Ages, and came away with a deeper understanding of what life was like for people hundreds of years ago. If you'd like to pick up a copy of his awesome documentary, you can order a copy at Acorn Media for $34.99 or grab a copy on Amazon.
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