Middle English Debate Poetry and the Aesthetics of Irresolution by Thomas L. Reed, Jr.
Helen Cooper
STUDIES IN THE AGE OF CHAUCER Here her argument that "imagery has not actually developed in the course ofthe poem but only been reused subtly shifting ways to make same points" (p. 134) is most persuasive. Chapter 4, "Creating Text: Ambivalence, Holy Play, and Salvation," addresses poet's use oflanguage-particularly pun. In keeping with spirit ofMary Clemente Davlin's study pun, Raabe notes "Langland uses wordplay as a means ofsalvation, his method purge ambivalence multiply it, eschew paradox embraceit faith thatalonebrings redemption" 148). She should, however, draw greater distinction between thelanguage its attempt arrive at Truth perception oflinguistic corruption world. There indeed an anxiety about misuses of words no concept ofwordplay can override. More intriguing this chapter discussion ofmisreading, especially "overskipping" "glosing" 158). "they cannot destroy truth" 159), they certainly thwart access it. Raabe's work on Piers Plowman appears time when scholarship seeing increasing presence ofpoststructural historicist readings. Any assumptions behind exception. Her book would profit from more detailed descrip­ tion ofmethodology. provides several new insights into must be balanced historical DANIEL F. PIGG University Tennessee Martin THOMAS L. REED, JR. Middle English Debate Poetry andthe Aesthetics Irresolution. Columbia London: Missouri Press, 1990. Pp. xiii, 461. $43.00. ThomasReed's tears another large hole bynow tattered fabricof homogeneous Augustinian Ages. He sets out demonstrate, initially through debate poems, later througha wide genericarrayofworks, irresolution major principle ofmedieval poetic composi­ tion. poems "often seem less interested settling winner than apprehension or appreciation. .. differences give rise debate," just disputations Schools often focused quality 200 REVIEWS arguments rather final conclusion. Such are concerned "the sensed complexity experience" simplicity authoritative generalization; recreational, Bakhti­ nian, or, Reed sums them up, Dionysian, contrast Apollonian models official dogma, instruction, closed endings. polarity unresolved resolved thirty-one­ item list contrasting pairs-temporal versus eternal, mimetic allegorical, paradoxical axiomatic, so on. As argues works Carolingian Conftictus veris et Hiemis down Lydgate's Horse, Goose, Sheep designed show up common failure "to realize blacks whites reductive misperceptions shades gray"-a persistentlyrepeated by modern scholars. position recurrently argued for The Owl Nightingale, Parliament ofPawls, if were exceptional; context multitude other debates describes, emerge being center periph­ ery tradition. His conclusions have further implications such Canterbury Tales contain something like debates. interesting thoughts offer Parson's Tale Retractions, Sir Thopas Melibee, Monk's Nun's Priest's Tale: last these particular he sees showing superiority "generic hybrid" conveying human experience. ap­ proach suggests might said whole multivoiced debate. concludes casting net still widely, gather formal element disputation, Gawain Green Knight, Raimbaut de Vaqueiras's aubade "Gaita ben," and, few sentences, any reader may wish add, catch writings shaped avoid simplifying moral one sections of...
Studies in the Age of Chaucer