THE CONCEPT OF THE THREE ORDERS OF SOCIETY IN LATE OLD ENGLISH PROSE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbphilo.2024.3.11Keywords:
Wulfstan of York, Institutes of Polity, Ælfric, secular law, ecclesiastical law, tripartite society, laboratores, oratores, bellatoresAbstract
The Concept of the Three Orders of Society in Late Old English Prose. Between the years 991 and 1012, the English suffered one of the worst Viking onslaughts in history. The relentless invasions coupled with an ineffective administration which was crumbling from within almost brought England to its knees. There was dire need for reformation. The first step in this process was a clear assessment of the situation. To this end, Archbishop Wulfstan of York and Abbot Ælfric of Eynsham rediscover and use the concept of the tripartite society to show the desperate need for all three social orders of England (laboratores, oratores, bellatores) to unite in support of the office of kingship, lest everything be lost. The present paper aims to present the evolution of the concept of a tripartite society in Anglo-Saxon England from its (pseudo)Alfredian origins to its integration into the political tracts, law codes, sermons and homilies of late Anglo-Saxon England.
Conceptul societății tripartite în proza engleză veche târzie. Perioada cuprinsă între 991 și 1012 reprezintă un moment de răscruce în istoria Angliei. Marcată de una dintre cele mai grave invazii vikinge din istorie, precum și de o administrație dezastruoasă, măcinată de lupte interne, țara a fost adusă în pragul colapsului. Nevoia unei reforme a devenit evidentă și urgentă, iar primul pas în această direcție a fost o evaluare clară a situației. Astfel, arhiepiscopul Wulfstan de York (d. 1023) și abatele Ælfric de Eynsham (d. c. 1010) au readus la lumină conceptul societății tripartite, pentru a arăta nevoia disperată a celor trei ordine sociale (laboratores, oratores, bellatores) de a se coordona în susținerea coroanei. Prezenta lucrare își propune să urmărească evoluția acestui concept în Anglia anglo-saxonă, de la originea lui (pseudo)alfrediană până la integrarea acestuia în coduri legislative, tratate politice, omilii și predici, în ultimele decenii înainte de cucerirea normandă.
Cuvinte-cheie: Wulfstan de York, Rânduiala Lumii, Ælfric, lege seculară, lege ecleziastică, societate tripartită, laboratores, oratores, bellatores
Article history: Received 13 July 2024; Revised 02 August 2024; Accepted 05 September 2024;
Available online 30 September 2024; Available print 30 September 2024.
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