Gillian Adler

Gillian Adler, an Associate Professor at Sarah Lawrence College specializing in medieval literature, dives into the intricate relationship between medieval life and time. She dismantles the myth of a simple pre-clock society, revealing a complex blend of natural, liturgical, and mechanical rhythms in daily life. Adler discusses how the COVID lockdown influenced her perspective on overlapping time systems and emphasizes the qualitative aspects of time over mere quantity. She also highlights literature's role in personifying time's emotional weight, offering valuable lessons for our modern lives.

Gillian Adler, an Assistant Professor of Literature at Sarah Lawrence College, dives deep into how medieval people experienced time. She explores the intertwining systems of narrative, natural, and liturgical time that colored daily life. Adler contrasts this with our modern, clock-driven existence, emphasizing the richness of medieval temporalities. She delves into the rise of mechanical clocks and their impact on labor, revealing how societal norms around time have evolved. The conversation also touches on reclaiming a more qualitative and communal sense of time in today's fast-paced world.

Gillian Adler, an Associate Professor of Literature at Sarah Lawrence College, joins to discuss her book on medieval concepts of time. She explores how medieval people experienced time not just linearly but in various overlapping systems. Adler connects these insights to contemporary reflections on time during the COVID lockdown. The discussion includes the impact of mechanical clocks on urban labor, theological views on idleness, and the portrayal of time in medieval literature. She suggests reclaiming qualitative and communal rhythms as a remedy for modern time monetization.