Medieval Literature for Children

by Kline,Daniel T.

• ISBN13: 9780815333128
• ISBN10: 0815333129
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-04-11
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Scholars once believed that childhood was alien to the Middle Ages. Too many children died. Life was too hard and too short to cherish youth. Only in recent years have historians looked beyond this general assumption to discover the significance children and childhood had for medieval culture. Based on material, cultural, and historical evidence, many now agree that medieval parents valued their children as children, not as "miniature adults." If so, what were medieval children reading? How does it function as children's literature? What does it tell us about childhood in the Middle Ages? Medieval Literature for Childrenis the first critical anthology of texts written for children during the Middle Ages. The volume includes selections from nearly 20 medieval text, accompanied by incisive critical introductions by an outstanding group of interdisciplinary scholars that illuminate the diversity, sophistication, and complexity of literature for medieval children and youth. The selection of originaltexts includes material written in Middle English, as well as translations from Latin, Old English, and medieval Welsh. The selections span a broad range of genres, from didactic literature to popular romance and drama, and include the "ABC of Aristotle", Aelfric'sColloquy, TheFablesof Avianus, Chaucer'sTreatise on the Astrolabe, TheEcloque of Theodulus,Sir Gowther,Occupation andIdleness, along with many others.

Author Biography

Daniel T. Kline is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
INTRODUCTION
MEDIEVAL CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: PROBLEMS, POSSIBILITIES, PARAMETERS	1	(11)
DANIEL T. KLINE
Part 1: Didactic and Moral Literature
CHAPTER 1: THE FABLES OF AVIANUS
WILLIAM F. HODAPP (COLLEGE OF ST. SCHOLASTICA)	12	(17)
CHAPTER 2: SELECTIONS FROM THE GESTA ROMANORUM
LYNNEA BRUMBAUGH-WALTER (WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST. LOUIS)	29	(16)
CHAPTER 3: SELECTIONS FROM GOWER'S C0NFESSIO AMANTIS
LAUREN KIEFER (SUNY-PLATTSBURGH)	45	(18)
Part 2: Courtesy and Conduct Literature
CHAPTER 4: THE "ABC OF ARISTOTLE"
MARTHA DANA RUST (NEW YORK UNIVERSITY)	63	(16)
CHAPTER 5: THE BABEES BOOK
DEANNA DELMAK EVANS (BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY)	79	(14)
CHAPTER 6: SELECTIONS FROM THE BOOK OF THE KNIGHT OF THE TOWER
CINDY VITTO (ROWAN UNIVERSITY)	93	(19)
Part 3: Educational and Instructional Literature
CHAPTER 7: AELFRIC'S COLLOQUY
STEPHEN J. HARRIS (UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-AMHERST)	112	(19)
CHAPTER 8: LE TRETIZ OF WALTER OF BIBBESWORTH
KATHLEEN KENNEDY (OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY)	131	(12)
CHAPTER 9: A SCHOOLCHILD'S PRIMER (PLIMPTON MS 258)
PAUL ACKER (SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY)	143	(12)
CHAPTER 10: CHAUCER AS TEACHER: CHAUCER'S TREATISE ON THE ASTROLABE
SIGMUND EISNER AND MARIJANE OSBORN (UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAMS)	155	(33)
Part 4: Religious Literature
CHAPTER 11: THE ECLOGA THEODULI
PATRICK COOK (GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY)	188	(16)
CHAPTER 12: "THE CHILD SLAIN BY JEWS" AND "THE JEWISH BOY"
JULIE NELSON COUCH (TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY)	204	(23)
CHAPTER 13: YPOTIS: A MIDDLE ENGLISH DIALOGUE
JUDITH DEITCH (YORK UNIVERSITY)	227	(22)
Part 5: Entertainment and Popular Literature
CHAPTER 14: OCCUPATION AND IDLENESS
BRIAN S. LEE (UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN)	249	(35)
CHAPTER 15: SELECTION FROM MATH SON OF MATHONWY, FROM THE MABINOGI
STEPHEN YANDELL (INDIANA UNIVERSITY)	284	(15)
CHAPTER 16: SIR GOWTHER (ADVOCATES MS. 19.3.1)
MARY E. SHANER (UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-BOSTON)	299	(23)
Bibliography	322	(20)
Index	342