{"product_id":"the-secret-within-hermits-recluses-and-spiritual-outsiders-in-medieval-england-9781501725166","title":"The Secret Within: Hermits, Recluses, and Spiritual Outsiders in Medieval England","description":"\u003cp\u003eSpiritual seekers throughout history have sought illumination through solitary contemplation. In the Christian tradition, medieval England stands out for its remarkable array of hermits, recluses, and spiritual outsiders--from Cuthbert, Godric of Fichale, and Christina of Markyate to Richard Rolle, Julian of Norwich, and Margery Kempe. In \u003ci\u003eThe Secret Within\u003c\/i\u003e, Wolfgang Riehle offers the first comprehensive history of English medieval mysticism in decades--one that will appeal to anyone fascinated by mysticism as a phenomenon of religious life. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn considering the origins and evolution of the English mystical tradition, Riehle begins in the twelfth century with the revival of eremitical mysticism and the early growth of the Cistercian Order in the British Isles. He then focuses in depth on the great mystics of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries--Richard Rolle (the first great English mystic), the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Cloud of Unknowing\u003c\/i\u003e, Walter Hilton, Margery Kempe, and Julian of Norwich. Riehle carefully grounds his narrative in the broader spiritual landscape of the Middle Ages, pointing out both prior influences dating back to Late Antiquity and corresponding developments in mysticism and theology on the Continent. He discusses the problem of possible differences between male and female spirituality and the movement of popularizing mysticism in the late Middle Ages. Filled with fresh insights, \u003ci\u003e The Secret Within\u003c\/i\u003e will be welcomed especially by teachers and students of medieval literature as well as by those engaged in historical, theological, philosophical, cultural, even anthropological and comparative studies of mysticism.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWolfgang Riehle is Professor Emeritus of English at the Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz and a Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He is the author of many books, including \u003ci\u003eThe Middle English Mystics\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eShakespeare, Plautus, and the Humanist Tradition\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Cornell University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50339384852754,"sku":"9781501725166","price":43.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_09e83ee3-c0df-4198-a3bb-bfcbc92b31ba.jpg?v=1728003439","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-secret-within-hermits-recluses-and-spiritual-outsiders-in-medieval-england-9781501725166","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}