Animal Soundscapes in Anglo-Norman Texts

The relationship between animals and sound and language in French texts from medieval England is explored in this book, suggesting that humans owe more to animal sounds than we are disposed to believe. It invites readers to listen and learn animal noises, seek spiritual consolation in the jargon of birds, or identify with the speaking wolf, creating the conditions for an assertion of human exceptionalism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2022
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

The relationship between animals and sound and language in French texts from medieval England is explored in this book. Medieval texts are permeated with the barks, hoots, and howls of animals and birds, creating a rich tapestry of animal communication. From the shrieking mandrake to the preaching saint and the disruptive cuckoo, these episodes showcase the complex interplay between species and their use of sound.

The book examines a diverse range of Old French verse texts, including bestiaries, treatises on language, the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi, and the Fables by Marie de France. Through a close analysis of these texts, the book seeks to reconceptualize and reinterpret animal soundscapes. It argues that these soundscapes produce competing perspectives, forms of life, and linguistic subjectivities, suggesting that humans owe more to animal sounds than we are often disposed to believe.

Texts that invite readers to listen and learn animal noises, seek spiritual consolation in the jargon of birds, or identify with the speaking wolf create the conditions for an assertion of human exceptionalism, while simultaneously questioning such forms of control. By asking what it means for an animal to cry, make noise, or speak in French, the book provides an important resource for theorizing sound and animality in multilingual medieval contexts and for understanding the animal's role in interpreting the natural world.

The book's exploration of the relationship between animals and sound and language offers valuable insights into the complex ways in which humans and non-human animals interact and communicate. It challenges our assumptions about the boundaries between species and highlights the importance of listening to and understanding the voices of other creatures. Ultimately, it contributes to a broader understanding of the role of animals in medieval culture and society.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843846222