What characterized the life in a cloister?

The correct answer highlights the defining features of life in a cloistered environment, which is primarily marked by religious seclusion devoted to prayer and scholarship. Cloisters, often associated with monastic communities, were places where individuals, particularly monks and nuns, withdrew from the outside world to focus intensely on their spiritual lives. This included regular participation in prayer, meditation, and the study of religious texts, allowing for a deepening of faith and spiritual understanding.

Life in a cloister is characterized by its commitment to a disciplined lifestyle rooted in religious practice. The isolation from society enables individuals to dedicate their time and energy wholly to prayer and intellectual pursuits related to their faith. This environment fosters a unique atmosphere for serious contemplation and the development of spiritual knowledge, distinguishing the experience of cloistered life from other forms of community engagement that might involve broader social activities or artistic endeavors.

While other options may highlight various aspects of life in different contexts, they do not encapsulate the central tenets of cloistered existence as effectively as the seclusion and focus on prayer and scholarship do.