The Parable of the Sower and Obscurity in the Prologue to Marie De France's Lais
Monica Brzezinski Potkay
The twelfth-century Anglo-Norman poet known as Marie de France is usually credited with the authorship of three works: religious adventure St. Patrick's Purgatory, a collection beast Fables; and what considered her masterwork, Lais, group twelve lapidary romances. (1) Lais at least have recently achieved mark canonical status, selections appearing in anthologies British literature published by W.W. Norton, Longman, Broadview. Readers who encounter two these commonly used texts, however, do so without benefit reading Prologue, where sketches sources purposes composing them, hopes for success. (2) A compact sophisticated example medieval literary theory, Prologue generally understood critics Marie's declaration poetic according to which she wrote through wishes readers interpret them. thus provides crucial lens viewing narratives that follow it. hardly straightforward. Its notoriously paratactic ambiguous style raises many questions about theory it answers. Perhaps chief curiosity passage misattributes Latin grammarian Priscian, whose works served standard textbooks curriculum, idea ancient writers willfully contrived enigmatic texts later scholars would write commentaries clarifying obscurities. Using conventional critical vocabulary day, calls act textual commentary gloser la lettre, glossing letter: Custume fu anciens, Ceo testimoine Preciens, Es livres ke jadis feseient, Assez oscurement diseient Pur ceus ki venir esteient E aprendre les deveient, K'i peussent lettre lur sen le surplus mettre. Li philesophe saveient, Par eus meismes entendeient, Cum plus trespassereit li tens, Plus serreient sutil sens se savreient garder De ceo k'i ert trespasser. (lines 9-22) It was customary ancients, books they (Priscian testifies this), express themselves very obscurely those generations, had learn could provide gloss text put finishing touches meaning. Men learning were aware this experience taught them more time spent studying subtle be understanding better able avoid future mistakes. I quote from edited Jean Rychner translated into prose Glyn S. Burgess Keith Busby (p. 41). Yet edition, even translation, conceal host semantic problems occur single manuscript witness Library MS Harley 978. These been thoroughly usefully catalogued Sally L. Burch, also analyzes resolutions difficulties advanced generations editors, translators, scholars. Some Burch discusses are local, generated grammar, syntax, vocabulary. What, instance, implied subjects verbs lines 18-20? How should one render (literally their sense) line 16, said furnish content readers' glosses? Does phrase refer scholars' understanding, intellect (from sensus); or does bits wisdom ancients concealed (Latin sententia)? translate verb trespasser 19 22 (and plural, indicates?), range includes meanings such transgress, neglect, surpass, spare, penetrate, overlook, happen, pass through, die? …
Christianity and Literature