Middle English Medical Recipes and Literary Play, 1375-1500

The first detailed, book-length study of Middle English medical recipes in their literary, imaginative, social, and codicological contexts, exploring how the words and structures of recipes could contribute to their healing purpose and redefine that purpose. It demonstrates that medical recipes were linguistically, formally, materially, and imaginatively interconnected with many other late medieval discourses, such as devotional writings, romances, fabliaux, and Chaucerian poetry.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Middle English Medical Recipes and Literary Play, 1375-1500, is a groundbreaking exploration of Middle English medical recipes in their literary, imaginative, social, and codicological contexts. Conducting an in-depth analysis of recipe collections found in over seventy late medieval manuscripts, this book delves into the ways in which the words and structures of recipes could both contribute to and complicate the healing purpose of these texts. It challenges the traditional perception of medical recipes as mundane and unartful, emphasizing their linguistic, formal, material, and imaginative interconnectedness with other late medieval discourses such as devotional writings, romances, fabliaux, and Chaucerian poetry. Through a close reading of these recipes, the monograph offers valuable insights into their allusive, fragmentary, and playful qualities, as well as their broad influence on medieval imaginations. By modeling for readers modes of analysis and close reading, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of medical recipes in medieval textual culture.

Middle English Medical Recipes and Literary Play, 1375-1500, is a groundbreaking exploration of Middle English medical recipes in their literary, imaginative, social, and codicological contexts.

In-depth analysis of recipe collections found in over seventy late medieval manuscripts is conducted, delving into the ways in which the words and structures of recipes could both contribute to and complicate the healing purpose of these texts.

The traditional perception of medical recipes as mundane and unartful is challenged, emphasizing their linguistic, formal, material, and imaginative interconnectedness with other late medieval discourses such as devotional writings, romances, fabliaux, and Chaucerian poetry.

Through a close reading of these recipes, valuable insights are gained into their allusive, fragmentary, and playful qualities, as well as their broad influence on medieval imaginations.

The monograph models for readers modes of analysis and close reading that can be deployed in understanding the allusive, fragmentary, and playful qualities of medical recipes and their wide-ranging influence on medieval imaginations.

Weight: 414g
Dimension: 222 x 147 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192849496