New Books in Critical Theory Ayoush Lazikani, "The Medieval Moon: A History of Haunting and Blessing" (Yale UP, 2025)
Dec 6, 2025
Ayoush Lazikani, a lecturer at the University of Oxford and author of *The Medieval Moon*, explores medieval perceptions of the moon across cultures. She discusses its dual nature, signifying love and violence, and dives into personifications in various mythologies, including lunar deities like Selene and Diana. Ayoush also examines how the moon influenced medieval medicine and religious symbolism. Through her global lens, she highlights the deep human connection to the cosmos, shedding light on its implications for contemporary environmental discussions.
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Moon As A Global Medieval Subject
- Ayoush Lazikani found the moon central across Christian and Islamic contemplative texts, prompting a global history of lunar meanings.
- The moon appears in East Asian traditions too, making it apt for a cross-cultural medieval study.
Moon Seen As A Riddle
- Early medieval riddles used the riddle form to probe the moon's changing, elusive nature.
- The moon functioned as a cultural riddle: visible yet mysterious, perfect for riddlic exploration.
Diverse Lunar Personifications
- The moon was personified diversely: goddesses like Selene or Chang'e, and even human transformations into lunar bodies.
- These personifications shaped religious identity across cultures, from Taoism to Christian and Sufi imagery.
