Albi

More St. Cecile

St. Cecile in Albi

And still more Fontfoirde

The rose gardens at Fontfoirde are so amazing. The fragrance is almost overwhelming. This place would be the most beautiful location for a wedding!

This stained glass window was made up of fragments of broken stained glass from churches that were destroyed during WWII. Even though this building was from the 12th century, and originally had very little ornamental architecture, it has been updated over the years with new windows, ornamental ceilings, Roman and renaissance windows, and various statues and garden areas.

More of Fontfroide

The Cistercian Monastery of Fontfoirde

This monastery was originally a Benedictine monastery that then became a Cistercian monastery. The Cistercian's were very strict in their beliefs and did not believe in depicting any animal life in their art. However, this was a very wealthy monastery that is now privately owned and has received historical landmark status. These are just a few pictures from the beautiful buildings and gardens.

This is Fanjeaux's monument to the soldiers who died in WWI. I'm not sure I understand the lovely woman or the rooster.

Fanjeaux's only town phone!

The Monastery of the Dominicans. The poor sisters who live here have seen such hardship in their little corner of Fanjeaux but they remain hopeful!

"St. Dominic's Way"

There are stories of St. Dominic walking barefoot while on the road. I did not feel brave enough to walk his way without my shoes!

A view of Fanjeaux from afar.

The Assassin's cross. The story goes that Dominic encountered a group of Cathar assassins and he was able to talk with them peacefully after telling them that he would be glad to be killed because he would become a martyr. Supposedly he was able to convert them.

The following are all pictures of the Couvent (convent). Some of the professors are staying here and it is lovely! They asked us not to take pictures inside the church but it had the most wonderful organ and statue of Mary.

St. Dominic

Another view from the top of Fanjeaux

The local bakery

A school in the covered market area of Fanjeaux. In Fanjeaux, some local businesses turn their computer monitors around when they are not open and push the keyboard and mouse out of the window so that locals may use their internet. So charming!

The view from the balcony in my bedroom at the Belvedere.

The day of departure has arrived! I look forward to meeting all of my fellow travelers soon! I thought I should post my favorite poem from Meg Bogin's The Women Troubadours. I very much enjoyed the poem by Almucs de Castelnau and Iseut de Capio. I thought that the exchange between two women was an interesting device. I also thought that the language was quite sophisticated. It was quite difficult to pick a favorite because they all were very interesting. I also liked the poem by Alamanda which I thought was equally complex and beautiful. I particularly liked her use of imagery and alliteration.

Song of Roland Response

Song Of Roland sets the stage for crusading forces in medieval France. The notion of going on holy war as a sacramental act or pilgrimage is well documented. In an attempt to claim the holy land, Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont promised Christians who waged war against the Turks immediate and total remission of their sins. This became an undercurrent of the ensuing military campaigns, and it is no surprise that literature reflecting these ideals would be popular, especially considering the Franks’ participation in these campaigns.

The text Song of Roland was probably written to provide an example for young men embarking on crusade. The crucial elements of this text illustrate how Christians were presumed to be preferred by God, since he assists Charlemagne, the great Christian ruler, and his men in avenging Roland’s death (lines 2458-2459). Roland’s death is another essential component of the example this poem sets. The text clearly describes Roland’s ascension directly into heaven; he is even honored by God when archangels descend to bring Roland’s soul up (lines 2393-2396). However, we are also given lengthy and graphic description of Roland’s butchery of pagan men. It is clear that we are told of his exploits to illustrate that God forgives Roland, and soldiers like Roland, because these deeds were committed to better the kingdom of Charlemagne and ultimately the Christian God. In this sense, the text explains the role of a crusading knight and the rewards that he stands to gain in fulfilling this Christian duty

Women Troubadours Response

In her book The Women Troubadours, Meg Bogin states “Throughout the Middle Ages women were the pawns of men.” Historically speaking, women have been subordinate to men. This is especially true of medieval Europe, a place in which power and physical or military prowess often coincided. Since women were not fighters, they were often denied positions of power. Bogin identifies women as pawns of men because they were often used as tools for creating alliance and peace as well as for the consolidation of resources. Often times, a father with daughters would marry them off to the most “worthy” suitor for political or social advancement. The happiness of the woman was of little concern in these marriages. In the chapter “Historical Background,” Bogin states that women had no say over whom they married and in fact, “marriages were generally contracted when the future spouses were in infancy, and girls were married in their early teens” (24-25). Regardless of their rank, women “were wards throughout the Middle Ages, always under the official guardianship of a man” (24).

In modern Western society, women are generally not controlled the way they were in the Middle Ages. Women have fought long and hard for autonomy from their fathers’ and husbands’ control. However, there are still inequalities between the sexes. Despite these inequalities, most women choose their spouses and have the ability to maintain complete independence from men and be successful. However, there are parts of the world where women are still used as political pawns. In many cultures, marriage is used only as means of combining resources. In these cultures, men still largely determine the marriages of women, and love is rarely considered part of the equation.

With Fanjeaux just a brief week away, I thought it would be appropriate to post a brief introduction of myself to all my fellow travelers. I am an English literature major at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. I have a special focus in Medieval and Renaissance studies, and I will be graduating in January 2011. I also perform in a band and practice photography and drawing. I look forward to meeting all of you in Fanjeaux!

I have posted a link to Caldwell University’s page on Fanjeaux for my family back home. You can read all about the history I will be studying and the relevance of Fanjeaux to the medieval world at http://www.caldwell.edu/fanjeaux/intro.aspx