Books & Poetry

Written by historians who each focus on one century, this is a sociological study illustrated with paintings, sculptures, photographs and cartoons, rather than a discussion of the representation of old age. Concentrating mainly on western Europe and spanning the period from ancient Greece to the present day, it offers remarkably few surprises. Since records began, the elderly seem to have been viewed with a mixture of respect and disdain; those with money, power, health, wisdom or status were likely to maintain their position and authority, while the poor, infirm or powerless were pitied or despised. Women have always been more vulnerable than men to this kind of marginalisation (in the seventeenth century, post-menopausal women were thought to cast the evil eye and, as we know, many were burned as witches). There have been some notable exceptions, though: Hildegard of Bingen was 67 when she founded the convent over which she held sway until her death in 1179.

Widows were less likely to remarry than widowers, partly because eligible men were not available, but also because widowhood often allowed greater independence. All the same, ‘man-hungry spinsters, gigolo-hunting crones and sex-crazed widows’ were a laughing stock. When the Duke of Norfolk died in 1432, however, his widow Katherine inherited the estate. She remarried three times; her last husband was over 40 years her junior, but she outlived him as well as her son and grandson. A painting by Quentin Massys shows a young blood marrying an old woman for her money but, mistaking the bride for the groom, the author of the caption (obviously not an art historian) assumes that an old man is marrying a young woman.

Cicero’s advice is just as pertinent as ever: ‘Old age will only be respected if it fights for itself, maintains its rights, avoids dependence on anyone and asserts control over its own last breath.’