BIBLIA PAUPERUM AS NARRATIVE EDUCATION IN MIDDLE AGE

It is possible to explain several present - day problems through the phenomena of the past. Among other things contemporary pedagogical community also includes a diverse and variegated language of pictures, images and colours. These are often signals of multiple meanings. Knowledge of the influence of visual information enables the educators to warn their mentees or to increase interest in them. For ages mankind has actually been using the quick, clear, and often multilayered visual language to pass information An example of such language during the Middle Ages was biblia pauperum or the Bible for the poor, i.e. pictographs on the walls of churches, monasteries and chapels. These pictures, accompanied by narratives, formed a powerful flow of information that modelled religion, morality, traditions, taboos and everyday life as well. This was a constant narrative that educated the people during the Middle Ages. Biblia pauperum fused into folklore, poetry, literature, art; it taught people how to behave, reminded them of the Ten Commandments, taught fear and joy. It was a multilayered and interesting textbook of the Middle Ages. Resulting from that it can be said that a man of the Middle Ages, despite not attending school and being illiterate, was yet properly educated in accordance to the needs of those times. Even more, learning actually lasted throughout life.