Greta Austin, a medievalist, in her essay “Were the peasants really so clean? The Middle Ages in film” (2002) claims that medieval films do not faithfully reflect the past, but instead, establish a modern interpretation of the Middle Ages. She supports the claim by illustrating the flaws in realistic medieval representations (historical inaccuracy), by elaborating on the manipulations made to the “historical sequence” (Austin) and verities, and by describing how medievalist’s incorporate interpretations from their personal life (“modern biases” (Austin)). Austin’s purpose is to clarify the issues arising from medieval films in order to reveal its usefulness, despite its controversy: “allows [viewers] to imagine the past” and activates “historical
