[stylist] New to the List and Looking for Guidance on a Project

Mon Jun 9 04:07:07 UTC 2014

Depends on your status and how wealthy you were. Many castles were more
fortresses geared towards military purposes, at least initially. Most of
the nobility and royalty had country manors that were more home-like. By
the Renaissance though, castles became more and more of a grand place to
live and host the court. They were still relatively dirty and smelly but
looked less ready for a siege.

Nowadays, castles are solely for dwelling in, and the best of modern
conveniences have been added. By the 19th century, castles were
dwellings to host court at and not really intended for purposes of war.
By the late 1800's and by WWI, many modern conveniences like electricity
and modern plumbing were installed in castles. Rooms were re-modeled in
the latest fashions and intended for living. The wealthy still had
country manors and city town homes and manors, as they do today, but
castles no longer resemble what they looked like internally during the
Medieval period. However, the exterior may still some-what resemble
earlier castles. Around the 1500's though, castles were being built for
aesthetic purposes, so many castles still in existance today are
prettier looking than their predecessors.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
Shawn D via stylist
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2014 7:06 AM
To: 'William L Houts'; 'Writer's Division Mailing List'; 'Homme, James';
'TinaHansen'
Subject: Re: [stylist] New to the List and Looking for Guidance on a
Project

What I heard about castles is, because they were truly smelly, they had
to be abandoned from time to time so they could "freshen up".  Thus,
nobles would have several castles and move from castle to castle.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L
Houts via stylist
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2014 7:55 AM
To: Homme, James; Writer's Division Mailing List; Tina Hansen
Subject: Re: [stylist] New to the List and Looking for Guidance on a
Project

HI Tina,

I know a few things about medieval life, and just a little bit about
castles and the lives of nobility.  Generally speaking, castles really
weren't very comfortable by our standards.  Even our poorest studio
apartments, for instance, have central heating.  The medieval castle, of
course, wasn't heated, but instead tended to be cold and drafty, and the
stone floors were cold.  Sometimes,  depending upon the wealth of the
king or noble dwelling there, the floors could be dressed with animal
skin rugs, at least in the major rooms.  More often, the floors,
especially in the dining hall, were dressed with rushes; straw mats on
which bones and other refuse from meals were thrown.  Walls, at least
those belonging to the wealthier nobles, could be dressed in tapestries
which, depending upon their quality, were a signal to all guests that
their host was a wealthy man.  And that's a central thrust of medieval
life:  men were everything, determined everything and got everything
while women, as I like to say, ate turd pie.  Speaking of which, privies
were built so the noble behind sitting on them could releive themselves
without too much discomfort.  But they were essentially holes in the
floor leading to a dung heap.  Speaking of which, medieval life, unlike
our relatively sterile modern world, was unbelievably smelly by our
standards.  There was the stink from mprivies, the refuse from rotting
rushes, and most notably the stink from unwashed bodies. Medieval folks
rarely took baths.  Commoners wore the same few garments day to day,
until their poor homespun practically fell from their bodies. Because
bathing wasn't common, nobles,  if they could afford it, doused 
themselves with perfume.     Nobles had a wider selection of clothes, 
but all people, rich and poor, never bathed. So castles were smelly and
cold, in the winter, and smelly round the year, unless the rushes were
changed regularly.

It's 5am where I'm writing this, and I'm presently not coming up with
more facts. But if you provide more questions, I might be able to
address them.

--Bill

On 6/6/2014 3:51 AM, Homme, James via stylist wrote:
> Hi Tina,
> I'm unsure if this will help you at all, but I happen to be reading 
> The Game of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin. There are a lot of 
> castle descriptions in there. There are lots of different kinds of 
> castles in there, too.
>
> Jim
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tina
> Hansen via stylist
> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 11:36 PM
> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [stylist] New to the List and Looking for Guidance on a 
> Project
>
> My name is Tina Hansen, and I am new to this list, though I've been 
> around the NFB for some time. I am writing to seek advice on a project

> I've been working on in my head.
>
> In a lot of literature, all or part of the story takes place in a 
> castle of some sort.
>
> Some time ago, it occured to me that I had no idea what a castle 
> looked like. It also made me wonder if I wasn't the only one.
>
> Given this, I have a 3-d tactile model of what a castle might look 
> like, but I want to add a narrative describing the parts of a castle, 
> but also what life might have been like during that time.
>
> The narrative would be done in a modular fashion, probably using one 
> of the voice labeling units, like the Pen Friend. I would place audio 
> labels on the various parts of the model describing what the part 
> might have looked like or what might have happened in that part of the

> castle. I might also add something about what might have gone on.
>
> However, I am torn between creating a narrative from scratch or just 
> borrowing some or all of an existing narrative. If I borrowed an 
> existing narrative, it might be OK, but I want it to be engaging 
> without giving up accuracy.
>
> My purpose for this project is, first, to help me get a better 
> understanding of a castle and its place in literature. If nothing, I 
> would understand what a castle might have looked like when I read some

> piece of literature, such as Harry Potter.
>
> Secondly, I want to use this model as a way to show parents and/or 
> educators how to use tactile, visual, and auditory learning modes.
>
> As a result, my narrative nay not be published around the world, but 
> it will do me some personal good, and it will likely help some parent 
> and/or educator.
>
> Since I'd likely get tired of hearing my own voice, I'd bring in a 
> voice talent to actually read the final narrative. Jaws can help me 
> refine it, along with expert guidance, but when it's time to do the 
> final narrative, I'd want to bring in a voice talent.
>
> I can go online to look for material, but I'm torn between using the 
> material as it is or modifying it in some way to make it my own. If I 
> do try to make it my own, I don't want to give up accuracy. I also 
> don't want the material to sound dull or boring.
>
> Finally, I want the material done in such a way that it works with a 
> variety of audiences.
>
> Again, my project may not get published around the world, but it will 
> help me, and probably some parents or educators in my area.
>
> I would appreciate any suggestions from members of this list on 
> tackling a project like this. Thanks. 
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-- 

"Do one thing for me, Sredni Vashtar!"

           --Saki

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