Fama

In medieval Europe, the word fama denoted both talk (what was commonly said about a person or event) and an individual's ensuing reputation (one's fama). Although talk by others was no doubt often feared, it was also valued and even cultivated as a vehicle for shaping one's status. People had to think about how to "manage" their fama, which played an essential role in the medieval culture of appearances. This book's authors consider how talk was created and entered into memory. Book jacket.

Thelma S. Fenster teaches French Literature and Daniel Lord Smail teaches History at Fordham University