Time, History and Class through narratives

Abstract

This chapter sets out the importance of history-making for the aristocracy. Its main hypothesis is that the shaping of time and the making of history are vital elements for the ideological reproduction of the aristocracy. It argues that the different genres of narrative converge to form a sense of historicity, one that organizes and crystallizes the aristocratic experience. The main primary sources used are the works of Bede, the Historia Regum, and a selection of vernacular poems.