The vision of Tnugdal

J.M. Picard & Y. de Pontfarcy

The Vision of Tnugdal, one of the great twelfth-century visions of the otherworld, was originally written in Latin by an Irish monk in Germany. This extraordinary piece of literature is in all aspects a work of synthesis created by a powerful mind. The total medieval knowledge of the afterlife is reflected in a complex structure of the beyond. An extremely ancient Celtic perception of time and space is blended with the literary tradition of Christian Europe. Set very much in Ireland, particularly in Munster, the story reveals strong links between Ireland and Irish monasteries in Germany. This book, illustrating as it does the eminent role played by Ireland during the Middle Ages in the remodelling of a Western Christian culture, will be of interest to a wide range of readers.

Jean-Michel Picard and Yolande de Pontfarcy lecture in modern and medieval French at University College, Dublin.