Ritual, Myth and Magic in Early Modern Europe - University of Reading

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before the Inquisition, and whose testimony gives us an almost unique window into
his world and the world of his community. It may be argued then, that Ginzburg‘s
work presents the historian with an astonishingly useful account of early modern
popular culture, and the interaction between the world of the village miller and that of
the educated and elite, as represented by the Inquisitors. But Ginzburg‘s work raises
as many questions as it answers, and should lead us to think more about the way in
which the history of popular culture and belief is written. Ginzburg invites us to use
the magnifying glass of Menocchio‘s testimony to explore the culture of the people on
a much broader level, and to look at the dissemination of literate ideas into the
popular thought and practice. But how representative is Menocchio – and how much
authority should Ginzburg‘s account be given? Based on our reading of this text, and
the discussions that we have had so far this term on popular culture, rituals, and
attitudes to life and the afterlife, in this session we will draw some of these threads
together in a more general discussion of popular culture and belief, and the role of
myths and rituals in the local mental world.
Seminar Preparation
Obviously The Cheese and the Worms is the most sensible starting point. I have a
photocopy of the La Capra piece which is not available in the library. However you
might find it useful to look forward to the reading for week 10, and back at some of
the literature in earlier sections of the course bibliography dealing with popular
culture – Peter Burke is a good place to start, as is David Gentilcore‘s Bishop and
Witch.
General questions for discussion
The book itself – how to Menocchio view his world, and from what perspective?
How does Menocchio view the church and religion?
Why is the Inquisition so interested in Menocchio and the Friuli?
How useful is Ginzburg‘s approach – how much can we learn from the tale of
Menocchio?
What is ‗popular culture‘ in this period?
What are the main features of popular culture?
What kind of sources are available to the historian of early modern popular culture,
and what advantages / disadvantages do they have?
What is the relationship between popular and elite culture in this period?
What impact – or lack of impact – does the Reformation have on local beliefs?
Secondary Sources
Ginzburg, C., The Cheese and the Worms (London, 1980).
Burke, P., ‗The Cheese and the Worms. The Cosmos of a 16 th Century Miller‘,
History Today, 31 (1981) p.50-1
Chiappelli, F. ‗The Cheese and the Worms. The Cosmos of a 16 th Century Miller‘,
Renaissance Quarterly, 34 (1981) pp.397-400.
Cohn, S., ‗The Cheese and the Worms. The Cosmos of a 16 th Century Miller‘, Journal
of Interdisciplinary History, 12 (1982) pp.523-5.
Hunter, M., ‗The Cheese and the Worms. The Cosmos of a 16 th Century Miller‘,
History, 66 (1981) p.296