Bernard of Clairvaux: Between Cult and History

Though this study includes many insights into the life of the 12th-century saint, its author insists that it is not a biography but rather the ""final report of a long investigation""--begun more than 50 years ago in the Netherlands--that may pave the way for a future biographer. In this closely reasoned work, the author, a Dutch scholar, searches for the historical Bernard as opposed to the saint of myth and legend created by Bernard's earliest proponents and embellished by generations of writers who based their pronouncements on the hagiographers' vision. To do this, Bredero provides detailed analyses of extant medieval texts and their probable sources, evaluates Bernard's treatment through the centuries in historiography and literature, and reconsiders the fiery founder of monasteries--a paradoxical blend of vigorous action and mystical contemplation--in his historical context. Appendices offer a chronology, a summary of textual problems and an extensive bibliography. (Aug.)