(Posted November 5, 2007)

HUNTINGDON, PA. -- Ever wonder why the Sheriff of Nottingham, Ivanhoe and Richard the Lionhearted always seemed to be in a bad mood in Hollywood movies? Well, it seems that these peevish moments might have a basis in historical fact, according to a lecture at Juniata College by a medieval historian, \"Getting Angry for a Purpose: Power and Emotion in Twelfth-century Europe.\" The lecture is part of the Delbert McQuaide Lectureship in History. Richard Barton, associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, will reveal the emotional lives of medieval aristocrats in his illuminating lecture at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 5 in Neff Lecture Hall in the von Liebig Center for Science on the Juniata campus. The lecture is free and open to the public. Barton will show how texts from the era show that chronicles of the time show that anger in medieval times was often used as a \"performanceâ?? to reorder or repair the social fabric of the era, as well as a means to maintain the honor and reputation of the artistocrats of medieval times. He also will show how anger was a legitimate emotion for liege lords, especially when it was linked to authority. Barton is the author of \"Lordship in the County of Maine, c 890-1160.â?? He has been at UNC-Greensboro since 1998. He was a lecturer at Yale University from 1997 to 1998. He earned a bachelor\'s degree in history from Williams College in 1988. He went on to earn a master\'s degree in 1990 and a doctorate in 1997 from the University of California, Santa Barbara. The Delbert McQuaide Lectureship in History Series was established by Delbert McQuaide, a 1958 Juniata College graduate. He was a senior partner at McQuaide Blasko Law Offices in State College and served as general counsel for Penn State University and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He was president of the Centre County Bar Association, and a member of the Pennsylvania, and American Bar Associations and the National Association of College and University Attorneys. Mr. McQuaide was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1994 and served as chairman from 1996 until his death in 1997.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.