“Vitam finivit infelicem”: Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England

Ephraim Shoham-Steiner

doi:10.1163/9789004250444_006

“Vitam finivit infelicem”: Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England

Ephraim Shoham-Steiner

Jewish History

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

When the words: suicide, religious identity and medieval Jewry are put
together in one sentence, let alone an essay title, medievalists tend almost
immediately to invoke certain images: those of the anti-Jewish riots that
took place in the rhineland in the spring of 1096 or the events of March
1190 in Clifford’s tower, york. these scenes and events will affect our dis-
cussion but they will not be at the center of inquiry. rather than look at
those who supposedly died a heroic martyr’s death, this article focuses
on those individuals that harbored religious doubt and considered con-
version.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	Jews in Medieval Christendom
Subtitle of host publication	Slay Them Not
Editors	Kristine T. Utterback, Merrall L. Price
Publisher	Brill Academic Publishers
Pages	71-90
Number of pages	20
ISBN (Electronic)	9789004250444
ISBN (Print)	9789004250437
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004250444_006
State	Published - Aug 2013

Publication series

Name	Études sur le judaïsme médiéval
Publisher	Brill
Volume	60

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

History
Religious studies
Literature and Literary Theory

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1163/9789004250444_006

Cite this

@inbook{d307840724b74bdc91a2547768775e91,

title = "“Vitam finivit infelicem”: Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England",

abstract = "When the words: suicide, religious identity and medieval Jewry are puttogether in one sentence, let alone an essay title, medievalists tend almostimmediately to invoke certain images: those of the anti-Jewish riots thattook place in the rhineland in the spring of 1096 or the events of March1190 in Clifford{\textquoteright}s tower, york. these scenes and events will affect our dis-cussion but they will not be at the center of inquiry. rather than look atthose who supposedly died a heroic martyr{\textquoteright}s death, this article focuseson those individuals that harbored religious doubt and considered con-version.",

author = "Ephraim Shoham-Steiner",

year = "2013",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1163/9789004250444_006",

language = "American English",

isbn = "9789004250437",

series = "{\'E}tudes sur le juda{\"i}sme m{\'e}di{\'e}val",

publisher = "Brill Academic Publishers",

pages = "71--90",

editor = "Utterback, {Kristine T.} and Price, {Merrall L.}",

booktitle = "Jews in Medieval Christendom",

address = "Netherlands",

}

“Vitam finivit infelicem”: Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England. / Shoham-Steiner, Ephraim.
Jews in Medieval Christendom: Slay Them Not. ed. / Kristine T. Utterback; Merrall L. Price. Brill Academic Publishers, 2013. p. 71-90 (Études sur le judaïsme médiéval; Vol. 60).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - “Vitam finivit infelicem”

T2 - Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England

AU - Shoham-Steiner, Ephraim

PY - 2013/8

Y1 - 2013/8

N2 - When the words: suicide, religious identity and medieval Jewry are puttogether in one sentence, let alone an essay title, medievalists tend almostimmediately to invoke certain images: those of the anti-Jewish riots thattook place in the rhineland in the spring of 1096 or the events of March1190 in Clifford’s tower, york. these scenes and events will affect our dis-cussion but they will not be at the center of inquiry. rather than look atthose who supposedly died a heroic martyr’s death, this article focuseson those individuals that harbored religious doubt and considered con-version.

AB - When the words: suicide, religious identity and medieval Jewry are puttogether in one sentence, let alone an essay title, medievalists tend almostimmediately to invoke certain images: those of the anti-Jewish riots thattook place in the rhineland in the spring of 1096 or the events of March1190 in Clifford’s tower, york. these scenes and events will affect our dis-cussion but they will not be at the center of inquiry. rather than look atthose who supposedly died a heroic martyr’s death, this article focuseson those individuals that harbored religious doubt and considered con-version.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84936852764&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1163/9789004250444_006

DO - 10.1163/9789004250444_006

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9789004250437

T3 - Études sur le judaïsme médiéval

SP - 71

EP - 90

BT - Jews in Medieval Christendom

A2 - Utterback, Kristine T.

A2 - Price, Merrall L.

PB - Brill Academic Publishers

ER -

“Vitam finivit infelicem”: Madness, Conversion, and Adolescent Suicide among Jews in Late Twelfth-Century England

Abstract

Publication series

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this