Cleanness on the Question of Images
Monica Brzezinski Potkay
"Cleanness on the Question of Images." The Middle English poem Cleanness is manifestly about how physical sense sight leads to beatific vision. poem's sentiments this broad topic appear be informed by ancient question whether religious images have a legitimate devotional purpose. Shortly after Cleanness's composition, was revived Lollard iconoclasts who attacked orthodox cult images. documents recording both challenge and defense ecclesiastical writers offer an intriguing context for interpreting Cleanness, since iconodules make their case very same biblical narratives that provide its primary sources. A comparison between exempla analogues in iconodule tracts, however, reveals poem, while opinions, does not recommend use as heartily do. acceptance tempered suspicion may often become idols-a it shares with Lollards, whose polemic against sometimes anticipates.
Viator