Middle English Biblical Poetry: Romance, Audience and Tradition

A new analysis of medieval Biblical poetry reveals that it was a neglected genre, often dismissed as mere paraphrase, but it is rich, innovative, and politically engaged. Six poems from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries retell episodes from the Old Testament, borrowing and adapting romance plots and motifs, presenting romance-inflected exotic settings, and sharing similar concerns with secular romance. The book explores the relationships between these poems and contemporary cultures of literature and religion, offers new readings of each poem and its cultural functions, and considers reading contexts, arguing that the poems and their manuscripts offer hints about the social class and gender of their household audiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 20 August 2021
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Medieval England was a vibrant cultural hub that thrived in the rewriting of the Bible through art, drama, and literature in Latin, French, and English. Among the many facets of this rich tapestry, Middle English biblical poetry played a central role, often overlooked or dismissed as mere paraphrases. However, a closer examination reveals these poems to be profound, innovative, and politically engaged. These works were read and cherished in the same gentry and noble households as secular romance, sharing similar themes and concerns such as reputation, order, family, and marriage.

This book delves into six remarkable poems from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, each retelling episodes from the Old Testament. These poems include the ballad-like Iacob and Iosep, which presents the lives of Adam and Eve; the alliterative version of the Susanna story, known as the Pistel of Susan; and the Gawain-poet's Patience and Cleanness. Each chapter of the book identifies new sources and influences for these poems, ranging from biblical glosses and manuscript illustrations to secular romance and contemporary cultures of literature and religion.

Furthermore, the book explores the intricate relationships between these poems and their contemporary counterparts, shedding light on their cultural functions and how they bridged the gap between medieval Christian England and the Jews and pagans of the pre-Christian Mediterranean world. It also considers reading contexts, arguing that the poems and their manuscripts offer valuable insights into the social class and gender of their household audiences.

In conclusion, this book offers a fresh perspective on the neglected genre of medieval Biblical poetry, revealing its richness, innovation, and political engagement. By exploring the relationships between these poems and their contemporary contexts, it provides new readings that shed light on their cultural significance and their role in bridging the gap between different worlds during the medieval period.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843846055