ENG 410: The Idea of the Vernacular, Spring 2004
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Instructions: go to the Middle English Compendium (available on-line: type in "Middle English Compendium" as a title on library home page and click; click on the Website; then click on "Middle English Dictionary"; click on "look up" to get a field for entering your query).
ONE
science
"Lat than clerkes endyten in Latyn, for they have the propertie of science, and the knowynge in that facultie." (Idea, page 30, line 26)
TWO
kind
"For ner writers, al wer out of mynde,
Nat story only, but of nature and kynd
The trewe knowyng schulde have gone to wrak,
And from science our wittes put abak. . ." (Idea, pp 45-6, lines 111-14)
THREE
nature
"For ner writers, al wer out of mynde,
Nat story only, but of nature and kynd
The trewe knowyng schulde have gone to wrak,
And from science our wittes put abak. . ." (Idea, pp 45-6, lines 111-14)
FOUR
wit
"For ner writers, al wer out of mynde,
Nat story only, but of nature and kynd
The trewe knowyng schulde have gone to wrak,
And from science our wittes put abak. . ." (Idea, pp 45-6, lines 111-14)
FIVE
truth
". . . if it may be prevyd bi other placis of Hooly Scripture that ech of tho thingis acordith with treuthe." (Idea, page 92, lines 3-4)
SIX
affection
"Also they been ordeyney to steryn mannys affeccioun and his herte to devocioun, for often man is more sterd be syghte than be heryng or redyngge." (Idea, page 250, lines 4-5)
SEVEN
devotion
"Also they been ordeyney to steryn mannys affeccioun and his herte to devocioun, for often man is more sterd be syghte than be heryng or redyngge." (Idea, page 250, lines 4-5)
EIGHT
imagination
"O welle off mercy, Jesu! that I be freelnes and foly
Have the offendyd in ded or in ony imagynacion,
Fully off foryeffnes I the beseche, with my hertys hole entencion. . ." (Idea, page 55, lines 139-41)
NINE
intention
"O welle off mercy, Jesu! that I be freelnes and foly
Have the offendyd in ded or in ony imagynacion,
Fully off foryeffnes I the beseche, with my hertys hole entencion. . ." (Idea, page 55, lines 139-41)
TEN
English
"Tharefor this book ys in Englis drawe,
Of fele maters that ar unknawe,
To lewed men that er unconnand,
That can no Latyn undurstand. . ." (Idea, page 243, lines 9-12)
ELEVEN
simple
"And for this hope and to this entent with holy writt also bene writen diverse bokes and tretees of devout men, not onlich to clerkes in Latyne bot also in Englishe to lewed men and wommen and hem that bene of symple undurstandyng." (Idea, page 253, lines 1-3).
TWELVE
understanding
"And for this hope and to this entent with holy writt also bene writen diverse bokes and tretees of devout men, not onlich to clerkes in Latyne bot also in Englishe to lewed men and wommen and hem that bene of symple undurstandyng." (Idea, page 253, lines 1-3).
THIRTEEN
assoilen
"The resoun mot stond but it be assoyled." (Idea, page 133, line 71)
FOURTEEN
degree
". . . popis with cardynales of dignitee,
Archbisshopis and bissopis of hye degree. . ." (Idea, page 140, lines 22-3)
FIFTEEN
bishop
". . . popis with cardynales of dignitee,
Archbisshopis and bissopis of hye degree. . ." (Idea, page 140, lines 22-3)
SIXTEEN
lewd
"Tharefor this book ys in Englis drawe,
Of fele maters that ar unknawe,
To lewed men that er unconnand,
That can no Latyn undurstand. . ." (Idea, page 243, lines 9-12)
April 15 The Bible Read excerpt 1.15, The General Prologue to the Wycliffite Bible, and also the introduction to Part One, especially "Textual Instability, Memory, and Vernacular Variance" (10-12).
April 22 Lollardy Read excerpt 2.4, On Translating the Bible into English, as well as the introduction to Part Two; see also Essay 4.2, pp 339-45.
April 29 Mysticism Read excerpt 3.20, The Book of Ghostly Grace, along with bibliography in that section. Marion Glasscoe is an expert on English mystics; search his work via the International Medieval Bibliography (enter via UO library website: put in as title, click on Website--see also librarian Heather Ward's instructions for using the IMB).
May 13 Reading Read excerpt 3.10, The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ: Prologue, and also essay 4.3, esp. "Book Distribution and Social Control," pp 359-62.
May 20 Genre Read excerpt 1.2, The Bruce, and also Paul Strohm, "Storie, Spelle, Geste, Romaunce, Tragedie: Generic Distinctions in the Middle English Troy Narratives," Speculum 46,2 (April 1971): 348-359 (available through JStor)
May 27 Gender Read excerpt 2.6, "The Knowing of Woman's Kind in Childing," and also consult the entire text with introduction by Alexandra Barratt, RG93 .K58 2001
June 2 Caxton and early printing Read excerpt 2.16, William Caxton's translation of Geoffroy de la Tour-Landry, Book of the Knight of the Tower: Prologue, and N.F. Blake's Caxton: England's First Publisher (New York: Barnes and Noble, 1976). Back to schedule