Description
Monsters and Monstrosities
Book Summary
This collective volume offers a multidisciplinary journey through the figure of the monster throughout history, from the fabulous beings of Antiquity to contemporary superheroes. Through rigorous studies, the work analyzes how the monstrous imagination has evolved in step with cultural, geographical, and scientific changes, revealing that monsters are a mirror of the obsessions and limits of each era.
What is it about?
The book gathers research that explores the historical perception of the monstrous, from the cynocephali and blemmyae of medieval bestiaries to the radioactive creatures of popular culture. It examines how geographical and scientific advances gradually pushed legendary monsters toward more everyday figures, such as the giants, dwarves, or two-headed people who populated European courts. The work also addresses the persistence of these beings in literature, art, and mythology, offering a panoramic view of how human beings have defined and redefined their own limits through monstrous otherness.
Main themes
- Historical evolution of the monstrous imagination from Antiquity to the contemporary era
- Relationship between monstrosity and geographical and scientific knowledge
- Representation of monsters in bestiaries, medieval encyclopedias, and travel books
- Courtly monsters and their social function in European courts
- Transformation of the monster figure in popular culture and superheroes
- Multidisciplinary analysis from folklore, mythology, cultural studies, and art history
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at researchers and students of the humanities, especially art history, cultural studies, literature, and mythology. It will also be of great interest to fans of folklore, fantasy, and the history of mentalities, as well as curious readers who wish to understand how monsters have reflected and shaped our view of the world.
What this book contributes
- A panoramic and rigorous view of the evolution of the concept of monstrosity throughout history
- Multidisciplinary perspectives that connect art, literature, science, and popular culture
- Keys to understanding how monsters function as a mirror of the fears and limits of each era
- A critical analysis of the relationship between geographical knowledge and the transformation of the monstrous imagination
Technical specifications
- Author: Various authors
- Publisher: Sans Soleil Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: General art aspects, literary essays, fantasy, ancient religions and mythologies, cultural studies, folklore, myths and legends, monsters and legendary beings
- Collection: Anejos ARSS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: October 2015
- Number of pages: 372
- Weight: 607 g
Editorial review
Monstruos y monstruosidades serves as a reference work for those seeking an academic yet accessible analysis of the figure of the monster in Western culture. Its multidisciplinary approach and chronological breadth allow the reader to draw unexpected connections between eras and disciplines, while the quality of the collected studies ensures a rigorous treatment of the subject. It is an essential read for understanding how the monstrous has been and continues to be a dynamic concept, shaped by the knowledge and beliefs of each time.