Old Age in English History

Old Age in English History

Author: Pat Thane

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2000-05-11

Total Pages: 548

ISBN-13: 0191542172

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At the end of the twentieth century more people are living into their seventies, eighties, nineties and beyond, a process expected to continue well into the next millennium. The twentieth century has achieved what people in other centuries only dreamed of: many can now expect to survive to old age in reasonably good health and can remain active and independent to the end, in contrast to the high death rate, ill health and destitution which affected all ages in the past. Yet this change is generally greeted not with triumph but with alarm. It is assumed that the longer people live, the longer they are ill and dependent, thus burdening a shrinking younger generation with the cost of pensions and health care. It is also widely believed that 'the past' saw few survivors into old age and these could be supported by their families without involving the taxpayer. In this first survey of old age throughout English history, these assumptions are challenged. Vivid pictures are given of the ways in which very large numbers of older people lived often vigorous and independent lives over many centuries. The book argues that old people have always been highly visible in English communities, and concludes that as people live longer due to the benefits of the rise in living standards, far from being 'burdens' they can be valuable contributors to their family and friends.


Book Synopsis Old Age in English History by : Pat Thane

Download or read book Old Age in English History written by Pat Thane and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2000-05-11 with total page 548 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the end of the twentieth century more people are living into their seventies, eighties, nineties and beyond, a process expected to continue well into the next millennium. The twentieth century has achieved what people in other centuries only dreamed of: many can now expect to survive to old age in reasonably good health and can remain active and independent to the end, in contrast to the high death rate, ill health and destitution which affected all ages in the past. Yet this change is generally greeted not with triumph but with alarm. It is assumed that the longer people live, the longer they are ill and dependent, thus burdening a shrinking younger generation with the cost of pensions and health care. It is also widely believed that 'the past' saw few survivors into old age and these could be supported by their families without involving the taxpayer. In this first survey of old age throughout English history, these assumptions are challenged. Vivid pictures are given of the ways in which very large numbers of older people lived often vigorous and independent lives over many centuries. The book argues that old people have always been highly visible in English communities, and concludes that as people live longer due to the benefits of the rise in living standards, far from being 'burdens' they can be valuable contributors to their family and friends.

A History of Old Age

A History of Old Age

Author: Pat Thane

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13:

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Seven contributors examine how the best thinkers and artists of each historical epoch in the West have treated old age. Full of surprising and fascinating facts, this is an uplifting companion for those who, like it or not, are beginning to understand the inevitability of their own aging process.


Book Synopsis A History of Old Age by : Pat Thane

Download or read book A History of Old Age written by Pat Thane and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2005 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seven contributors examine how the best thinkers and artists of each historical epoch in the West have treated old age. Full of surprising and fascinating facts, this is an uplifting companion for those who, like it or not, are beginning to understand the inevitability of their own aging process.

History of Suicide

History of Suicide

Author: Georges Minois

Publisher:

Published: 1999-01-19

Total Pages: 410

ISBN-13:

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Minois concludes with comments on the most recent turn in this long and complex history--the emotional debate over euthanasia, assisted suicide, and the right to die.


Book Synopsis History of Suicide by : Georges Minois

Download or read book History of Suicide written by Georges Minois and published by . This book was released on 1999-01-19 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Minois concludes with comments on the most recent turn in this long and complex history--the emotional debate over euthanasia, assisted suicide, and the right to die.

Constituting Old Age in Early Modern English Literature, from Queen Elizabeth to King Lear

Constituting Old Age in Early Modern English Literature, from Queen Elizabeth to King Lear

Author: Christopher Martin

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781558499720

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"Explores the representation of old age in Elizabethan England."--BLACKWELL'S.


Book Synopsis Constituting Old Age in Early Modern English Literature, from Queen Elizabeth to King Lear by : Christopher Martin

Download or read book Constituting Old Age in Early Modern English Literature, from Queen Elizabeth to King Lear written by Christopher Martin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Explores the representation of old age in Elizabethan England."--BLACKWELL'S.

Old Age in Early Medieval England

Old Age in Early Medieval England

Author: Thijs Porck

Publisher: Anglo-Saxon Studies

Published: 2021-06-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781783276349

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First full-length study of the notion and concept of old age in early medieval England.


Book Synopsis Old Age in Early Medieval England by : Thijs Porck

Download or read book Old Age in Early Medieval England written by Thijs Porck and published by Anglo-Saxon Studies. This book was released on 2021-06-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First full-length study of the notion and concept of old age in early medieval England.

History of Old Age

History of Old Age

Author: Georges Minois

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 1989-11-28

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 9780226530314

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History of Old Age is the first major study of the ways in which old age has been perceived in western culture throughout history. Georges Minois paints a vast fresco, starting with the first old man to relate his own story—an Egyptian scribe some 4500 years ago—and ending with the deaths of Elizabeth I and Henry IV in the sixteenth century. Tracing the changing conceptions of the nature, value, and burden of the old, Minois argues that western history during this period is marked by great fluctuation in the social and political role of the aged. Minois shows how, in ancient Greece, the cult of youth and beauty on the one hand, and the reverence for the figure of the Homeric sage, on the other, created an ambivalent attitude toward the aged. This ambiguity appears again in the contrast between the active role that older citizens played in Roman politics and their depiction in satirical literature of the period. Christian literature in the Middle Ages also played a large part in defining society's perception of the old, both in the image of the revered holy sage and in the total condemnation of the aged sinner. Drawing on literary texts throughout, Minois considers the interrelation of literary, religious, medical, and political factors in determining the social fate of the elderly and their relationship to society. This book will be of great interest to social and cultural historians, as well as to general readers interested in the subject of the aged in society today.


Book Synopsis History of Old Age by : Georges Minois

Download or read book History of Old Age written by Georges Minois and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1989-11-28 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: History of Old Age is the first major study of the ways in which old age has been perceived in western culture throughout history. Georges Minois paints a vast fresco, starting with the first old man to relate his own story—an Egyptian scribe some 4500 years ago—and ending with the deaths of Elizabeth I and Henry IV in the sixteenth century. Tracing the changing conceptions of the nature, value, and burden of the old, Minois argues that western history during this period is marked by great fluctuation in the social and political role of the aged. Minois shows how, in ancient Greece, the cult of youth and beauty on the one hand, and the reverence for the figure of the Homeric sage, on the other, created an ambivalent attitude toward the aged. This ambiguity appears again in the contrast between the active role that older citizens played in Roman politics and their depiction in satirical literature of the period. Christian literature in the Middle Ages also played a large part in defining society's perception of the old, both in the image of the revered holy sage and in the total condemnation of the aged sinner. Drawing on literary texts throughout, Minois considers the interrelation of literary, religious, medical, and political factors in determining the social fate of the elderly and their relationship to society. This book will be of great interest to social and cultural historians, as well as to general readers interested in the subject of the aged in society today.

Old Age in the New Land

Old Age in the New Land

Author: W. Andrew Achenbaum

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2020-02-25

Total Pages: 307

ISBN-13: 1421435071

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Originally published in 1978. Drawing on a wide range of sources from social, intellectual, and political history, Old Age in the New Land analyzes the changing fates and fortunes of America's elderly in the course of its history. By providing a historical perspective on society's conceptions of aging—and its effects on human lives—Achenbaum's work offers valuable insights for historians, sociologists, gerontologists, and others interested in the "graying" of America.


Book Synopsis Old Age in the New Land by : W. Andrew Achenbaum

Download or read book Old Age in the New Land written by W. Andrew Achenbaum and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2020-02-25 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in 1978. Drawing on a wide range of sources from social, intellectual, and political history, Old Age in the New Land analyzes the changing fates and fortunes of America's elderly in the course of its history. By providing a historical perspective on society's conceptions of aging—and its effects on human lives—Achenbaum's work offers valuable insights for historians, sociologists, gerontologists, and others interested in the "graying" of America.

Old Age in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Old Age in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Author: Albrecht Classen

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2012-02-14

Total Pages: 585

ISBN-13: 3110925990

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After an extensive introduction that takes stock of the relevant research literature on Old Age in the Middle Ages and the early modern age, the contributors discuss the phenomenon of old age in many different fields of late antique, medieval, and early modern literature, history, and art history. Both Beowulf and the Hildebrandslied, both Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival and Titurel, both the figure of Merlin and the trans-European tradition of Perceval/Peredur/Parzival, then the figure of the vetula in a variety of medieval French, English, and Spanish texts, and of the Old Man in The Stricker's Daniel, both the treatment of old age in Langland's Piers the Plowman and in Jean Gerson's sermons are dealt with. Other aspects involve late-antique epistolary literature, early modern French farce in light of Disability Studies, the social role of old, impotent men in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Netherlandish paintings, and the scientific discourse of old age and health since the 1500s. The discourse of Old Age proves to have been of central importance throughout the ages, so the critical examination of the issues involved sheds intriguing light on the cultural history from late antiquity to the seventeenth century.


Book Synopsis Old Age in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by : Albrecht Classen

Download or read book Old Age in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance written by Albrecht Classen and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2012-02-14 with total page 585 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After an extensive introduction that takes stock of the relevant research literature on Old Age in the Middle Ages and the early modern age, the contributors discuss the phenomenon of old age in many different fields of late antique, medieval, and early modern literature, history, and art history. Both Beowulf and the Hildebrandslied, both Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival and Titurel, both the figure of Merlin and the trans-European tradition of Perceval/Peredur/Parzival, then the figure of the vetula in a variety of medieval French, English, and Spanish texts, and of the Old Man in The Stricker's Daniel, both the treatment of old age in Langland's Piers the Plowman and in Jean Gerson's sermons are dealt with. Other aspects involve late-antique epistolary literature, early modern French farce in light of Disability Studies, the social role of old, impotent men in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Netherlandish paintings, and the scientific discourse of old age and health since the 1500s. The discourse of Old Age proves to have been of central importance throughout the ages, so the critical examination of the issues involved sheds intriguing light on the cultural history from late antiquity to the seventeenth century.

Ageing: A Very Short Introduction

Ageing: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Nancy A. Pachana

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016-11-17

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0191038466

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Ageing is an activity we are familiar with from an early age. In our younger years upcoming birthdays are anticipated with an excitement that somewhat diminishes as the years progress. As we grow older we are bombarded with advice on ways to overcome, thwart, resist, and, on the rare occasion, embrace, one's ageing. Have all human beings from the various historical epochs and cultures viewed aging with this same ambivalence? In this Very Short Introduction Nancy A. Pachana discusses the lifelong dynamic changes in biological, psychological, and social functioning involved in ageing. Increased lifespans in the developed and the developing world have created an urgent need to find ways to enhance our functioning and well-being in the later decades of life, and this need is reflected in policies and action plans addressing our ageing populations from the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Looking to the future, Pachana considers advancements in the provision for our ageing populations, including revolutionary models of nursing home care such as Green House nursing homes in the USA and Small Group Living homes in the Netherlands. She shows that understanding the process of ageing is not only important for individuals, but also for societies and nations, if the full potential of those entering later life is to be realised. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Book Synopsis Ageing: A Very Short Introduction by : Nancy A. Pachana

Download or read book Ageing: A Very Short Introduction written by Nancy A. Pachana and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-11-17 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ageing is an activity we are familiar with from an early age. In our younger years upcoming birthdays are anticipated with an excitement that somewhat diminishes as the years progress. As we grow older we are bombarded with advice on ways to overcome, thwart, resist, and, on the rare occasion, embrace, one's ageing. Have all human beings from the various historical epochs and cultures viewed aging with this same ambivalence? In this Very Short Introduction Nancy A. Pachana discusses the lifelong dynamic changes in biological, psychological, and social functioning involved in ageing. Increased lifespans in the developed and the developing world have created an urgent need to find ways to enhance our functioning and well-being in the later decades of life, and this need is reflected in policies and action plans addressing our ageing populations from the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Looking to the future, Pachana considers advancements in the provision for our ageing populations, including revolutionary models of nursing home care such as Green House nursing homes in the USA and Small Group Living homes in the Netherlands. She shows that understanding the process of ageing is not only important for individuals, but also for societies and nations, if the full potential of those entering later life is to be realised. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Decline of Life

The Decline of Life

Author: Susannah R. Ottaway

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2004-02-02

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 9780521815802

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The Decline of Life is an ambitious and absorbing study of old age in eighteenth-century England. Drawing on a wealth of sources - literature, correspondence, poor house and workhouse documents and diaries - Susannah Ottaway considers a wide range of experiences and expectations of age in the period, and demonstrates that the central concern of ageing individuals was to continue to live as independently as possible into their last days. Ageing men and women stayed closely connected to their families and communities, in relationships characterised by mutual support and reciprocal obligations. Despite these aspects of continuity, however, older individuals' ability to maintain their autonomy, and the nature of the support available to them once they did fall into necessity declined significantly in the last decades of the century. As a result, old age was increasingly marginalised. Historical demographers, historical gerontologists, sociologists, social historians and women's historians will find this book essential reading.


Book Synopsis The Decline of Life by : Susannah R. Ottaway

Download or read book The Decline of Life written by Susannah R. Ottaway and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-02-02 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Decline of Life is an ambitious and absorbing study of old age in eighteenth-century England. Drawing on a wealth of sources - literature, correspondence, poor house and workhouse documents and diaries - Susannah Ottaway considers a wide range of experiences and expectations of age in the period, and demonstrates that the central concern of ageing individuals was to continue to live as independently as possible into their last days. Ageing men and women stayed closely connected to their families and communities, in relationships characterised by mutual support and reciprocal obligations. Despite these aspects of continuity, however, older individuals' ability to maintain their autonomy, and the nature of the support available to them once they did fall into necessity declined significantly in the last decades of the century. As a result, old age was increasingly marginalised. Historical demographers, historical gerontologists, sociologists, social historians and women's historians will find this book essential reading.