In five pages this historical significance of Wunderli's text regarding problems of the 15th century peasantry is analyzed. One source is cited in the bibliography.
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feats of valor, all of the glory and laud was lost when it came to the everyday man, the ordinary peasant, whom without the aristocracy, church leaders, and society would
have floundered. Here, then, is a book aimed at trying to level the playing field, somewhat. Richard Wunderli writes of the Peasant Fires and the spirit, belief systems and outlook
of the peasant living in the fifteenth century, and to its historical significance. The whole tale revolves around a conflict that arose when a mere peasant was supposedly visited by
the Virgin Mary. The established church eventually crushed the notion and the followers who came to witness the miracle. In addition, the man to whom the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared
to, was given sets of messages as to how they were to set up their governments and to live. The Church took exception to this as well, especially since the
new blueprint called for a total re-ordering of the way things were running at the present time. Bishop Rudolph can be said to be the antagonist in the novel,
to Hans Behems protagonist. The ensuing trial of Behem, the sermons which chronicle the case against him and the other significant historical documentation lend credibility to the authors retelling of
this conflict between the peasants and the landed gentry, as well as the church. Historically, what is significant about this book is the depiction of life for the
ordinary peasant during medieval times in Germany. Hans Behem might have been any one of a thousand nameless faceless peasants, but the factors seem to have come together in such
a way as to take his life another direction and to unbelievable circumstances. Wunderli pieces this book together with various accounts from the sermons, first hand documents from the