Childhood During The Middle Ages

Over time, the variety of questions regarding childhood and its meaning are ones that have caused concern to historians. This is noted in the debate about whether or not our current idea of childhood is just a recent invention, ‘an artefact of modernity’ (Aries, 1996). Writers have argued that up to the modern period, the current idea of childhood did not exist. This view means that during a period of time between 1600 and the twentieth century “childhood” was ‘invented’ and what we now believe as childhood would be different to the childhood our ancestors had. This essay will summarise the historical views of Childhood and Children through looking back at the pre-industrial and Victorian times and it will explain how Children and Childhood

They worked and played with adults but they were not allowed to “play” as children do today. Being seen as small adults meant that children had to take responsibility for themselves and, if too small to work, were responsible for younger siblings. Crimes such as thieving were punishable in the upmost and if caught, children could be hanged. This was, in the main, due to lack of role-models as parents were working excessive amounts of hours in order to provide basic food and shelter. During this time children were seen as an economic asset and not as a symbol of love as parents found it difficult to invest emotionally into their children. This was, primarily, due to the high mortality rate; especially in children under ten years

Technology is considered as a powerful tool of social change. It has drastically changed the way of life and has also institutionalised the functioning of the social institutions. The institutions of family, religion, morality, marriage, state, property have been altered. Modern technology has also shifted the industry from the household. As a result, some radical changes have been witnessed in the family organisation. This is called in literary language as the “social impact of technology on the social institutions” (Ralph, 2007). Other agencies have stolen the many functions of the family. The marriage contract is going to be considered not as a sacred one but a social contract. Consequently, divorces and separation are on the