Kalenderes enlumined been they That in this world been lighted with thy name – Chaucer’s “Priere a Nostre Dame” Chaucer can be hard to pin down. At many points, we can ask ourselves “Is he serious?” or “Is this all an elaborate parody?” At other, darker times we may question if he really was “evere … More Chaucer’s Almighty and al Merceable Queene
Ever think about all the art that has been lost? Beowulf comes out of an oral tradition of scops singing from a trove of texts. We have this manuscript, which fortunately survived the fitting-yet-sad fire at Ashburnham House, but what about all the other poems? Or what about all the ephemeral moments when a scop arranged … More Kept with Fonder a Care
UPDATE! During the conference, I am adding Twitter feeds to the sessions in the schedule below, so keep coming back! The 52nd International Congress on Medieval Studies starts in full swing tomorrow with sessions and mead tastings and vespers and teaching workshops! If you haven’t heard of the conference at Kalamazoo before, here’s their about … More Follow Kalamazoo 2017 Online
Spring is a time for pilgrimages. Along with the insects, shoots, and flowers, we’re waking up. We can leave our solitary heated rooms and travel together to the homes of beloved authors.
So I just ruined the ending of a novel for my wife. It was Jude the Obscure. Don’t worry, I’m not about to ruin it for you. The Golden Echo isn’t about spoilers. In fact the only spoiler on here that I can think of was actually a prediction that I wish hadn’t been true … More Spoil Alerts and Experiencing Narrative
Romeo and Juliet. Dead. Tristan. Dead. Troilus. Dead. In literature the fastest way to die is to fall in love. For those of you who are trying to guess Negan’s victim in The Walking Dead, just remember that to fall in love with Rick or Sasha is the most dangerous move you can make on … More Why is Love Linked with Death in Courtly Literature?
Last Friday, we looked a bit at Paul Strohm’s fascinating new presentation of Chaucer. Now let’s dive a little more into his take on the relational nature of literature: I agree with those who believe that a written or spoken communication is held in common by its writer or speaker and its audience. Sitting … More Chaucer and Relational Reading
What is a poet? There are the laureates recognized by the crown. The few who gather a community or a following around them. Or at least those who have been published. But what about the poets who had nothing? What about the opium addicts, the unpublished, and the unread? What about all those musty manuscripts … More 5 Poetic Failures Part 1
Looking for something more from social media than vapid selfies and food pics? Well, then this is the post for you. Today, along with the community over at The Broke and Bookish, we’re looking at ten bookish people you should follow on Twitter right now! Digital Humanities Do you like pictures? Well, do the medievalists … More Ten Bookish People You Should Follow on Twitter
