Singing the New Song: Literacy and Liturgy in Late Medieval England by Katherine Zieman
Kevin Teo Kia-Choong
REVIEWS 344 also offers “virtual itineraries,” or mini-tours of groups prints. These itineraries were designed by those who wrote the book, and they are structured around location, artist, collection, among other criteria. The very existence such a website ironically leads reader to question necessity book itself. tangible catalogue functions highlight antiquated nature books. At time when newspapers going bankrupt new e-reader seems be available almost every week, value printing is constantly diminishing. Although essays only in paper format, could posted online with few simple clicks mouse. database images accompanying bank knowledge continuously updated on website, while this clearly not possible book. Despite shortcomings printing, it print which celebrates , so perhaps physical most appropriate medium after all. JAMES FISHBURNE, Italian Renaissance Art History, UCLA Katherine Zieman, Singing New Song: Literacy Liturgy Late Medieval England (Philadelphia: University Pennsylvania Press 2008) xvii + 294 pp., ill. In “The Prioress’s Tale,” tale from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales often mentioned for its anti-Semitism, narrator points an unlettered boy sings Marian antiphon Alma redemptoris mater, subsequently sparking off murderous activities Jews neighbourhood. Taking narrative moment “litel clergeon” narratives as her cues, Zieman explores ramifications that texts practices Latin liturgy held understanding written word fourteenth- fifteenth-century England. Antiquarians like A .F. Leach have used starting point embodying medieval-Catholic England’s fascination recitation example unchanging cultural resources community demonize sign superstition ignorance. ’s study provides counterpoint established trend medieval scholarship concerning schooling, arguing played seminal role shaping emerging textual late England, subsequently, changing literacy milieu dramatic socio-political changes. Starting history elementary educational institution known scola cantus, defines act singing one mode proficiency bound members together believers taught literacy. Originally, cantus consisted learned adult performers already trained during Carolingian period, participation was indirectly predicated upon grammar. During thirteenth fourteenth centuries, however, social conditions both lay clerical patrons redirected institutional focus young boys needed choristers before receiving grammatical instruction. changes turn led liturgical skills reading recontextualized redefined “elementary” level knowledge. Zieman’s ambitious comprehensive ability amalgamate various strands studies, notably fields vernacular literary criticism. core distinctions between lit- 345 teratus, clericus, laicus variants lewid (unlearned) contexts fourteenth-century changes, Saint Cross Hospital’s legal proceedings over substantial endowments, discussed Chapter 2. equation litteratus clericus pervasive much but creates rift these categories examining records, suggesting laity had capacity manipulate certain standard (especially literacy) their advantage. An “neck verse” recited sentenced gallows. especially impressive where elucidates political hermeneutics underlying relation opus Dei light modern critical theories found Louis Althusser’s notion “interpellation” Pierre Bourdieu’s “cultural capital.” For example, attention devotional treatises...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies