Stigmatization of the blind in Renaissance Italy

stealingvowels · Jan 5, 2012

Hello!

I have recently started the first draft of a novel set in late fifteenth century Florence, Italy. One of the characters is blind. I have not found anything detailing stigma against the blind in any of my research thus far. As a result, most of my novel has been based on my own individual assumptions about how blindness might have been seen during the Renaissance.

My character is seen as "cursed by God" by those around him, and the result of him enduring such maltreatment throughout his life is a major point of his development. However, I dread the idea of a central point of my novel being historically inaccurate. I based this assumption on what I have read about the attitudes toward mental illness and physical defects in the past, but I have read very little about perspectives on blindness in particular.

Is anyone any expert on this topic, or on the Italian Renaissance in general?

Thank you very much!

Siri Kirpal · Jan 5, 2012

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

You might want to post a note in Historical (in the writing genre section) with a link to this post. I'll bet someone there will have some knowledge of this topic.

Edited to add: In nearly all countries at this period, the blind were often trained as musicians. If your MC is tone deaf, that could be a problem.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

thothguard51 · Jan 5, 2012

I think it really depends on the MC's rank or position in Florence at the time. IF rich, he hired others to help him out. If poor, more than likely he was screwed just trying to get around and find food, etc.

NDoyle · Jan 6, 2012

The blind were more likely to be pitied ("There, but for the grace of God..."), I believe, than believed to be "cursed." You will want to take a look at Barasch's Blindness: The History of a Mental Image in Western Thought, at least for its source material. You can find a very critical scholarly review of the book here: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=6516.

This list of Renaissance paintings with depictions of the blind could be useful, too:

http://larsdatter.com/blind.htm

You might want to consider adding another disability or some kind of physical deformity if you wish him to be persecuted. If that won't work for your story line, could have him become blind in some way or under some circumstances that might make others consider him to be cursed?

Good luck!

jaksen · Jan 6, 2012

I've also read about nuns or monks who were blind and were revered. Weren't there a few saints who were blind or became blind? I don't think blindness carried the same stigma that say, leprosy would.

stealingvowels · Jan 8, 2012

Siri Kirpal- Thank you, I wasn't aware that there was a separate historical section.

NDoyle- Thank you very much! That's extremely helpful.
My MC's blindness itself is more important than him being persecuted, actually, as far as the plot is concerned. Pity might actually work well in this situation.

Stigmatization of the blind in Renaissance Italy

stealingvowels

They're stealing our vowels!

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

NDoyle

Writer, Editor, Photographer

jaksen

Caped Codder

stealingvowels

They're stealing our vowels!