Anglo-Saxon Perceptions of the Islamic World [Paperback]

In this book, Scarfe Beckett is concerned with representations of the Islamic world prevalent in Anglo-Saxon England.In this book, Scarfe Beckett is concerned with representations of the Islamic world known in Anglo-Saxon England. Using a wide variety of literary, historical and archaeological evidence, and working on the assumption that literature can influence readers' attitudes and motives, she argues that the first perceptions of Arabs, Ismaelites and Saracens which derived from Christian exegesis preconditioned western expressions of hostility and superiority towards peoples of the Islamic world, and that these received ideas prevailed over first-hand experience.In this book, Scarfe Beckett is concerned with representations of the Islamic world known in Anglo-Saxon England. Using a wide variety of literary, historical and archaeological evidence, and working on the assumption that literature can influence readers' attitudes and motives, she argues that the first perceptions of Arabs, Ismaelites and Saracens which derived from Christian exegesis preconditioned western expressions of hostility and superiority towards peoples of the Islamic world, and that these received ideas prevailed over first-hand experience.Katherine Scarfe Beckett is concerned with representations of the Islamic world in Anglo-Saxon England. Using a variety of literary, historical and archaeological evidence, Beckett argues that the first perceptions of Arabs, Ismaelites and Saracens were derived from Christian exegesis. These perceptions preconditioned Western expressions of hostility and superiority towards peoples of the Islamic world, and these received ideas prevailed over actual experience.Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction; 2. Islam during the Anglo-Saxon period; 3. Anglo-Saxon contacts with Islam; 4. Arabs and Arabia in Latin; 5. Ismaelites and Saracens in Latin; 6. Arabs, Ismaelites and Saracens in early Anglo-Latin; 7. Pseudo-Methodius and the sons of Ismael;lÓ3