Medieval English Literature and the Idea of the Anthology
Seth Lerer
Recent studies of medieval English literature have queried anew the role anthology (medieval and modern) in shaping both historical current notions vernacular canons. Here, my examination two major assemblies exemplifies theoretical, interpretive, pedagogical problems raised by this recent work. In British Library manuscript Harley 2253, an early-fourteenth-century collection, Sammelbände printed books put together late fifteenth early sixteenth centuries, I discern sequences texts that take as their theme idea anthology: languages poetic expression, technologies public literacy, cultural values generate Studying teaching requires us to restore such compilatory contexts; but it also reflect on our contemporary fascination with anthologies de-authorizing literary wake postmodern theory—a move, suggest, anticipated culture.
Publications of the Modern Language Association of America