HIA289 Mentalities of the Middle Age

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tomáš Borovský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Tomáš Borovský, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 12:00–13:40 B1.41, except Mon 20. 4. to Fri 24. 4.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 15/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Abstract
The course is inspired by Umberto Eco´s novel The Name of the Rose. Its aim is to familiarize students with the research trends in the field of the history of mentalities through the main themes of Eco´s novel.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to distinguish important characteristics of collective mentality in the Middle Ages.
Key topics
  • Introduction
  • Brown Horse, Black Cat, and Other Animals in Medieval Imagination
  • Libraries and scriptoria
  • Aristotle and His Readers
  • The Poverty and Wealth of the Church
  • Woman: Saint and Sinner
  • Medieval Night
  • Monastery Architecture
  • Dreams and Visions
  • Inquisition
  • Apocalypse
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • LE GOFF, Jacques. Středověká imaginace. Translated by Irena Murasová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 1998, 329 s. ISBN 8072030744. info
  • ECO, Umberto. Jméno růže. Translated by Zdeněk Frýbort. 5. vyd. Praha: Český klub, 2008, 429 s. ISBN 9788086922027. info
    recommended literature
  • BURKE, Peter. Francouzská revoluce v dějepisectví : škola Annales (1929-1989). Translated by Pavel Kolář. Vyd. 1. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2004, 136 s. ISBN 8071067199. info
  • GRAUS, František (ed.). Mentalitäten im Mittelalter. Methodische und inhaltliche Probleme. Sigmaringen 1987.
  • PASTOUREAU, Michel. Dějiny symbolů v kultuře středověkého Západu. Translated by Helena Beguivinová. Vydání první. Praha: Argo, 2018, 398 stran. ISBN 9788025724958. info
  • LE GOFF, Jacques and Jean-Claude SCHMITT. Encyklopedie středověku. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2002, 935 s. ISBN 8070215453. info
  • ECO, Umberto. Umění a krása ve středověké estetice. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 1998, 239 s. ISBN 8072030981. info
  • DEELY, John N. Nové vymezení středověké filosofie : latinský věk (354-1664) jako éra znaků. Translated by Anton Markoš. Vydání první. [Praha]: Malvern, 2024, 589 stran. ISBN 9788075305527. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lectures with analysis of texts and discussions.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Written essay.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/HIA289