From Aesop to Reynard: Beast Literature in Medieval Britain by Jill Mann
Mihaela L. Florescu
REVIEWS 271 this, in which the poignancy of plight both mentally impaired and their communities comes to fore. One particularly haunting example from end Trenchard-Smith’s essay two saints’ lives, mention chaining mad possessed people Church Saint Anastasia Constantinople, “[suggesting] that although canonically afflicted might be disqualified full participation life church, there was confidence automatic, beneficial effect liturgy blameless, powerless souls” (55). The image soundscape this evokes, strain against bonds add cries intonation liturgy, is moving. It also a reminder that, at its best, historical scholarship helps us understand how much what ways past differ while making those present sympathetic us. ANDREA F. JONES, English, UCLA Jill Mann, From Aesop Reynard: Beast Literature Medieval Britain (Oxford University Press 2009) 380 pp. Mann has written an impeccably researched wonderfully clever survey on beast literature spanning time fable epic, bestiary, animal debate, romance, sermon, eastern tale, with special emphasis homegrown blend found Britain. As she elaborates, are fundamental differences way animal’s fictional world translates into meaning for humans. structure tale certainly influences interpretation it can offer reader. explores medieval illustrate most functional dichotomies. She analyzes prominent works period , including Marie de France’s Fables; Nigel Longchamp’s Speculum stultorum; Owl Nightingale; Vox Wolf; Chaucer’s Parliament Fowls; tales Squire, Nun’s Priest, Manciple Canterbury Tales; Henryson’s Morall Fabillis. We taken tour force debate Nightingale, individual Wolf, back collection These texts continuity influence British . Nightingale relies Marie’s Fables, Chaucer cites stultorum, Henryson follows Chaucerian themes. Nevertheless all these writers remain inventive original own right. Prior embarking her analysis Anglo-Scottish tradition, discusses history Western Europe link between continental tradition evolution elsewhere. starts account discussion Fables Aesop. Ironically, no surviving been authenticated alive, believed have sixth century BC. Later, Phaedrus, first AD, Romulus vulgaris follow chronology fable. In ninth century, poems flourished Carolingian court. eleventh used as teaching tool by such luminaries Ademar Chabannes (988–1034). Odo Cheriton Jacques Vitry, clerics, utilized fables sermons. 272 twelfth France continue vernacular Latin collections. epic makes appearance Ecbasis captivi, Ysengrimus, later Roman Renart century. note represents departure tradition. Eastern wisdom West Spanish Jew named, Petrus Alfonsi, who wrote Disciplina clericalis manner literature. material chapter “How Animals Mean” providing theoretical framework looking (as represented by...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies