The term 'rustic' evolved from describing where peasants lived to embodying their identity in medieval Europe. Medieval authors highlighted the societal roles of laborers, invoking Aelfric's famous trinity of laboratores, oratores, bellatores. Despite this division of roles, peasants often faced dehumanization and burdens without dignity. Bishop Alvaro Pelayo criticized the earthbound focus of peasants, indicating that their long labor influenced their disconnection from spiritual aspirations. This reflects careful observations from the perspective of the clergy, who noted a lack of heavenly devotion among those solely tied to earthly toil.
For even as they plough and dig the earth all day long, so they become altogether earthy: they lick the earth, they eat the earth, they speak of the earth; in the earth they have reposed all their hopes, nor do they care one bit for the heavenly substance that shall remain.
The famous trinity of those who work, those who pray, and those who fight highlights the perceived roles in society, yet often those roles were burdensome and unappreciated.
Collection
[
|
...
]