The Book and the Magic of Reading in the Middle AgesAlbrecht Classen Routledge, 2013 M10 11 - 343 pages The computer revolution is upon us. The future of books and of reading are debated. Will there be books in the next millennium? Will we still be reading? As uncertain as the answers to these questions might be, as clear is the message about the value of the book expressed by medieval writers. The contributors to the volume The Book and the Magic of Reading in the Middle Ages explore the significance of the written document as the key icon of a whole era. Both philosophers and artists, both poets and clerics wholeheartedly subscribed to the notion that reading and writing represented essential epistemological tools for spiritual, political, religious, and philosophical quests. To gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of the medieval book, the contributors to this volume examine pertinent statements by medieval philosophers and French, German, English, Spanish, and Italian poets. |
Contents
3 | |
Virgils Hero Reborn | 21 |
Frame and Story | 35 |
The Book and the Power of Reading in Medieval | 61 |
Book Metaphors in the Textual Community | 99 |
Authorship | 123 |
The Rhetoric of Knowledge | 149 |
Story Picture and Reading in Wynkyn de Wordes Vitas Patrum | 219 |
Reading the Virgin Reader | 253 |
St Mary as an Ideal Reader | 277 |
295 | |
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Common terms and phrases
anchoress Ancrene Wisse Annunciation Apolonio appears audience become called Cambridge century chapter character Christian considered contained courtly critical culture describes discussion divine Dolopathos drawing early English especially example experience fact figure French function German hand holds holy human idea illustration important individual interpretation John King knowledge language later Latin learning letter literacy literate Literature lives looks manuscript Mary meaning Medieval metaphor Middle Ages moral narrative nature notes oral origin particularly perhaps person poet present provides question readers reading reason reference reflected religious represents role romance rule says scene sense serve spiritual story suggests symbol takes textual things tradition trans translation truth turn understanding University Press Virgin visual Vitas women writing written York young