Medieval Literary Voices: Embodiment, Materiality and Performance

Medieval literary voices explore the concept of literary voices, including the vanished authorial and implicit textual ones, and how they evoke the elusive voices beyond the text, capture the absent authorial voice, scribal voices, and the soundscape of the uttered text. It contends that through the theorizing of literary voices, we can understand how they mediate or proclaim an embodied selfhood or material presence, dictate or contest moral conventions, and create and sustain narrative soundscapes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Voice, a transient physical phenomenon, gracefully dissipates, leaving behind subtle traces of its existence. In the realm of medieval literature, the concept of "voices" takes on a profound and multifaceted significance, encompassing both the vanishing authorial voices and the implicit textual ones. This comprehensive exploration delves into the depths of medieval voice and vocalisations, shedding light on the intricate interplay between literary voices and their authorial, scribal, and socio-political contexts. Through its rigorous theorization, it seeks to unravel the ways in which medieval voices mediate or proclaim an embodied selfhood or material presence, challenge moral conventions, and shape the captivating narrative soundscapes of the era.

Medieval literary voices offer a rich tapestry of insights into the multifaceted nature of voice and its profound impact on the literary world. By exploring the vanishing authorial voices and the implicit textual ones, it deepens our understanding of how literary voices evoke the elusive voices that linger beyond the text. These voices encompass the absent authorial voice, the traces of scribal voices, and the vibrant soundscape of the uttered text.

The study of medieval voice and vocalisations delves into various dimensions, encompassing the interplay between literary voices and their authorial, scribal, and socio-political settings. It examines how these voices mediate or proclaim an embodied selfhood or material presence, challenge moral conventions, and shape the narrative soundscapes of the era. Through this theoretical lens, we gain a deeper appreciation of the ways in which medieval voices contribute to the rich tapestry of medieval literature and its enduring influence on the literary world.

In conclusion, medieval literary voices offer a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the concept of literary voices, both the vanished authorial ones and the implicit textual ones. Through its rigorous theorization, it sheds light on the ways in which medieval voices mediate or proclaim an embodied selfhood or material presence, challenge moral conventions, and shape the narrative soundscapes of the era. This study contributes to our understanding of medieval literature and its enduring legacy, enriching our appreciation of the rich tapestry of voices that have shaped the literary world throughout history.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526149497