The Memoirs of Abbot Guibert of Nogent Essay - 1424 Words

The Memoirs of Abbot Guibert of Nogent When thinking about a medieval monastery the first thing that comes to mind is the origin of the word monastery which comes from the Greek monos, meaning alone. Monasticism in itself is a way of life that is devoted to God in seclusion. A large part of monasticism is isolation, not only from the neighbors but from family. When taking the vows to be a monk one not only completely devotes ones life to God but all friends, family and earthly possessions are left behind. Taking the vows of monasticism takes brutal dedication and severe strength. What pushed Guibert of Nogent into monasticism is that his mother withdrew from the world after his father’s death. During that time he was left alone and†¦show more content†¦When monasteries first started to appear during the third and fourth centuries it was far more somber and focused towards the hermit form of life. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries monasteries became more community focused and more socially drawn. Gu ibert chose monastic life because how communal it had been reformed during the Middle Ages. During his run as abbot Guibert became involved inn all aspects of his community surrounding his monastery. On his affairs, he says, â€Å"We see him involved in ecclesiastical affairs, attending courts of the bishop of Laon and larger councils, and at one time traveling to Langres to see the pope Living in monastery no longer meant that he would live life alone and without peers. As an abbot he was able to gain so superiority which Guibert sought. Additionally, he states that he had always wanted to be an abbot: â€Å"†¦A person well-fitted for worldly success with moderately good birth, both my own heart and some of my associates evilly suggested to me that it would be proper for me to advance in this world by promotion to some office.† He was giving the opportunity to become a member of the community because of the smaller amount of communal restrictions put on monks. This was unheard of during the begging of monasticism where there was strict isolation. A hermit would never even consider traveling or taking part in any community council. Guibert was very keen on being involved in the community surrounding his