CONTENPLATIVE CHAOS
A Chaotic Collective of Creative Conceptions
Medieval Mythos, Modern Magic: Examining the Evolution of Fantasy
BY: CLAIRE MCLEOD HILL
This study examines how enduring elements of medieval European culture continue to shape the fantasy genre across literature, film, and digital media. It identifies five core tropes—feudal power structures, supernatural and philosophical perspectives, chivalric idealism, constructions of otherness, and material culture and aesthetics—that together form a “medieval imaginary” underpinning fantasy’s symbolic and narrative foundations. Through a chronological analysis from the Victorian period to the present, the dissertation demonstrates how these tropes have been reinterpreted in response to evolving sociocultural contexts, from romanticized medievalism to postmodern critique and contemporary inclusivity. By integrating literary analysis, media studies, and cultural history, this research shows that the medieval past is not merely an aesthetic backdrop but a dynamic reservoir of meaning. Its persistent reinvention allows fantasy to address questions of power, morality, identity, and cultural difference while maintaining resonance across generations and media forms.
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British Christendom & The Split with Rome
BY: CLAIRE MCLEOD HILL
This paper reevaluates the historical and theological context of Henry VIII’s separation from Rome, contending that the English Reformation was fundamentally a political act rather than a triumph of Protestant reformist ideology. By tracing the development of British Christendom from its early Orthodox and Celtic roots through its complex interactions with Roman Catholic authority, the study demonstrates that tensions with papal supremacy long predated the sixteenth century. Drawing on the works of J.R.H. Moorman, Eamon Duffy, Heinrich Zimmer, as well as primary sources including Henry VIII’s Assertio Septem Sacramentorum and correspondence with Pope Leo X, the analysis situates Henry’s actions within a broader tradition of British ecclesiastical autonomy. The paper argues that Henry’s assertion of royal supremacy, motivated by dynastic and financial concerns, effectively formalized an enduring division between the British and Roman churches rather than inaugurating a sudden theological rupture. In doing so, it highlights how the preservation of distinctively British Christian traditions shaped the emergence of Anglicanism and its continuing influence on Western Christianity.
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Christendom, Connections, and Clergymen of Gaul and Roman Asia
BY: CLAIRE MCLEOD HILL
This paper examines the formative relationship between the early Christian communities of Gaul and Roman Asia, with particular focus on the transmission of theological traditions, martyrdom narratives, and ecclesiastical authority. Using Eusebius’s Historia Ecclesiastica, especially Book 5, as the central lens, it explores the ties between the churches of Lyons and Vienne and their “Asian” counterparts, emphasizing the roles of bishops Pothinus and Irenaeus of Smyrna. The study highlights how Irenaeus’s Asiatic background and theological contributions shaped Gallic Christianity, particularly in his opposition to Gnosticism, his advocacy for unity during the Easter Controversy, and his articulation of orthodoxy as a universal tradition. The martyrdom accounts of 177 CE, including that of Blandina, further underscore the Asiatic influence on Gallic Christian identity, illustrating the shared valorization of suffering and witness. By situating Gallic Christianity within its broader Mediterranean and imperial context, this paper demonstrates that the origins of Christendom in Gaul cannot be understood apart from its enduring Asiatic roots, and that figures like Irenaeus embody the interconnection that defined early Christian development across regions.
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The Socio-Cultural and Artistic Impact of the Little Ice Age on Medieval European Society: The Extensive Impact of the Environment on the Human Condition and Civilization
BY: CLAIRE MCLEOD HILL
This essay examines how the Little Ice Age (14th-19th centuries) fundamentally transformed medieval European society and artistic expression. Through interdisciplinary analysis of historical, archaeological, and artistic sources, the study reveals that severe climatic disruption intensified social hierarchies, accelerated urbanization, and consolidated feudal power structures while disproportionately affecting lower classes. The emergence of Gothic architecture served both as practical adaptation to harsh conditions and symbolic expression of spiritual transcendence. Christian iconography evolved to emphasize suffering and redemption, providing psychological comfort amid environmental uncertainty. Secular art—from Bruegel's winter landscapes to Vermeer's intimate domestic scenes—reflects both environmental realities and collective responses to climatic adversity. This analysis demonstrates that the Little Ice Age operated not merely as environmental phenomenon but as a transformative force that reshaped the trajectory of European civilization, offering crucial insights into the complex relationship between climate change and human culture.