Monasteries In Medieval Society

Some monasteries became very wealthy due to this (Eshuys, 1993:72). Monasteries were also institutions for the scrutiny of one's self and correct oneself. Confessions of the wrong-doing were made during the daily prayer to God and amendments of the wrong doings were made in the future (Benedict The Rule of St Benedict Extract Chapter IV:57-58). People, especially monks, burdened by the guilt of consciences, would turn to the monasteries for forgiveness and hope to be an ideal Christian. The reason why this was so was because monks were often associated with the society and a high expectation was requisite from them to be as perfect like God. One would have to be accessible for verdict in the monasteries to have a cleansed soul, in order to achieve this (Heer, 1962: 168).
             Intellectual life existed only within the monasteries during the Middle Ages. Schools were mostly set up in the monasteries which were established in the service of the Lord (Benedict The Rule of St Benedict Extract The Prologue 45 - 46). These schools made up of grammar or song schools (Eshuys, 1993: 129), but the purposes of the education were primarily religious. Monastic schools were primarily established in purpose of educating the monks, to encourage religious teaching and beliefs of Gods but were open to boys who wanted to be secular priests and even to usually noble boys who plainly wanted education (Lynch, 1992:153). As Latin is the language of the Bible and the church fathers, students were taught the ability to read, write and think in that foreign language (Lynch, 1992:152). The students of the monasteries may only learn theology and may only read theological books. They were required to study day and night and were to read something and try to memorize it by heart, at home or while traveling (Rules of the Dominican Order Extract 3). Intellectual life in the Middle Ages was restricted, the monks were often the only educated members of society.