Great Teachers Who Have Shaped the World: The Glorification of Teachers in the Middle Ages. Literary-Historical Investigations

Abstract

More often than not, medieval authors of a variety of texts offer us important glimpses into the world of education at various levels and in different institutions. From the early Middle Ages to the late fifteenth century – our chosen time frame here – we regularly hear from a wide range of authors what excellent contributions teachers had made to their own lives, to their society, and to the future generation. This is not to say that all teachers are admirable and respectable individuals, and it is also not to say that the pre-modern educational system was fantastic or superior to our modern system. What we can observe, however, is that numerous sources from the entire medieval period lend themselves particularly well to underscore the significance of education for the individual and society at large, and this, of course, already in the past. The focus of this paper will not rest on regular schools in medieval cities (e.g., Latin schools) or universities; instead, the emphasis is to bring out a trope relevant in all education until today, the model teacher who deeply influenced his/her student and thus contributed fundamentally to the further development of learning, knowledge, and hence the social context relevant for all. A protagonist who has the privilege of being well educated tends to thrive and overcome most problems and conflicts and gains a great reputation. Thus, good education based on dedication, friendship, and love proves to be, according to those pre-modern writers, the critical catalyst to transform society and to move humanity productively and constructively forward. We can learn from that in many different ways.