Immaterial Texts in Late Medieval England
Making English Literary Manuscripts, 1400-1500
Published on 25. May 2022
302 pages
978-1-009-12229-0 (ISBN)
Description
Daniel Wakelin introduces and reinterprets the misunderstood and overlooked craft practices, cultural conventions and literary attitudes involved in making some of the most important manuscripts in late medieval English literature. In doing so he overturns how we view the role of scribes, showing how they ignored or concealed irregular and damaged parchment; ruled pages from habit and convention more than necessity; decorated the division of the text into pages or worried that it would harm reading; abandoned annotations to poetry, focusing on the poem itself; and copied English poems meticulously, in reverence for an abstract idea of the text. Scribes' interest in immaterial ideas and texts suggests their subtle thinking as craftspeople, in ways that contrast and extend current interpretations of late medieval literary culture, 'material texts' and the power of materials. For students, researchers and librarians, this book offers revelatory perspectives on the activities of late medieval scribes.
Reviews / Votes
'The author's ability to identify strikingly anomalous details across this sprawling body of material is impressive.' A. S. G. Edwards, Times LIterary Supplement 'Immaterial Text is, in the best sense, a provocation that will prompt a new kind of attention to the English literary manuscript.' Sonja Drimmer, Studies in the Age of Chaucer '... deserves notice from Chaucerians, codicologists, and cultural historians.' Eric Weiskott, SpeculumMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
File size
10,66 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-009-12229-0 (9781009122290)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Daniel Wakelin
Immaterial Texts in Late Medieval England
Making English Literary Manuscripts, 1400-1500
Book
06/2022
Cambridge University Press
€108.60
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Content
1. Prologue: materials, making and manuscripts; 2. 'Hele alle maner of schabbis': imagining perfect parchment; 3. 'Who by prudence Rule him shal': controlling the layout; 4. '?e leef torned': turning beyond the page; 5. 'Rede . . . and ?e may se': reading plain text; 6. 'This is the copy': reproducing the immaterial; 7. Conclusions: more than materials.
