Medieval Omen
Dogs are found in all areas of history. Relating back to Week Four's Post, The Catholic Church's Canine Conundrum, we again examine dogs specifically within the Medieval setting. However, this time canines aren't spent undermining a church's hierarchy. Rather they become objects of political power. Pure symbolism, pure good, pure evil, and sometimes pure hysteria. The social construct of what mankind considers a dog warps and sways drastically.
To begin, how exactly are dogs a social construct and symbolic?
Dogs are frequently found, within art and literature specifically, amid conflict. Dogs have become a lurking and underlying symbol for a concealed meaning. Laura Gelfand writes, "We find that dogs could be far more staffage or symbols; in fact, querying the presence of dogs in images and tests provides a catalyst for the study of a wide range of critical questions" (Gelfand 2). Dogs provide an entryway into examining complex questions surrounding specific periods. Animals, which can appear so meaningless, have an irrefutable impact.
Dogs were portrayed in Medieval Art with a vast array of representations. Orginally, since dogs were a sort of omen associated with death and the devil in most general cases, they were portrayed in a negative light. Friedman first writes, "Dogs were often associated with human vanity in moral or allegorical contexts..." (Friedman 341). This categorization took place in a variety of artworks. Minature dogs were frequently being placed in scenes of drunkenness, ludicracy, and immoral behaviors. Societal values assisted in reinforcing the social construct.
However, dogs weren't always negative. Their purpose almost became a sort of paradox symbolically as Friendman continues saying that they,"... may provide a moral comment on the main scene and illustrate Hildegarde's view of the dog's moral sagacity" (Friedman 353). The representation of dogs changed with them being affiliated with God in the same scenes of immorality. Almost akin to a third eye, they became a "watchdog" and reminder against sinners. They were still placed in art work portraying unholy acts but their underlying purpose shifted. It further represents the role of cultural values in influencing social constructs because as culture changes so does our representation of animals.
Dogs also portray shifts in society and values. Friedman writes, "From the mid-thirteenth century onward, it appears that the dog was starting to be considered a necessary accessory for all classes and both genders" (Friedman 334). The record shows that dogs start to signal the shift within societal standards, and social change. The Bonmont upper Rhenish painting, created in 1260, portrays Europe right before the start of the Renaissance. The usage of dog metaphorically to be used a necessary accessory emphasizes two main points. First, dogs are a social construct and a result of our own perception. Secondly, the shift towards humanist thought and a slightly more egaltarian society is reflected by the refinement and selection of dogs as a label of prestige. Dogs can help hint towards future shifts withn a society.
Perhaps dogs will never find their true identity. They frequently hammer their way through Medieval artwork with no constant focus. Although, whether pragmatic or artistic, their underlying association with humans will never change: they are man's best friend.
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