Medievalism

One of the critical themes of the poem is medievalism. Medievalism is an academic term that refers to the way people throughout history have looked back at the period of time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance in Western Europe. This period, sometimes variously called “the Dark Ages,” “the Medieval Era,” or the “Middle Ages,” has been much-mischaracterized by both history and popular culture. The name “Dark Ages” itself is a fine example of this misunderstanding: it simplifies hundreds of years of history down to a period of loss and stagnation, when in fact there was an enormous amount of prosperity and growth in the Middle Ages. This is particularly true beyond Western Europe, but great works of art were also being created in that region.

However, along with the judgment that goes along with memories of the Middle Ages, there is...