I'd Hate to be a Surf

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          In The Deepest Sense, one of the ideas I found most intriguing was trying to imagine the sensory experience of the working class in Medieval Europe. Classen examines many aspects of communal living and the ways in which our sense of touch made it possible for us to exist in the society of the time. Our sense of touch was even more vital to survival back then because it was the main way for us to interact with our world. I hadn’t ever considered it before, but Classen made me aware of the vision problems many people suffered through during this time. Without corrective eyewear, many people were forced to live their entire lives without seeing properly. Obviously, in this environment, one’s sense of touch becomes even more significant to appreciating the world.


           Her description of this historical sensory environment reminded me of certain elements of the King Arthur story, and made me reconsider why such emphasis is placed on certain sensory elements. Because the story of King Arthur was passed on through the oral tradition, its story had to have resonated with the common people of medieval England. Many elements of the fable have a tactile emphasis, which is significant given my new understanding of the importance of the tactile world to the surf in medieval Europe. For example, Arthur’s metaphorical struggle to claim the throne is manifested as a physical object which has to be tangibly overcome. Even though many try to pull the sword, only Arthur can free it from the stone. This is significant because the story makes a point to highlight everyone in the community interacting with the physical object of the sword. The story is encapsulating a metaphorical relationship with the throne and the holy inside of a touchable, real world symbol. Further examples of the Arthurian tale’s emphasis on touch are the importance of swordsmanship to the knights and the carnal betrayal of Lancelot and Guinevere. I find this comparison interesting and I will continue to mull over Arthur in the context of The Deepest Sense.

Photo Credit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAu_no-uT-o

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