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'[W]he[th]yr [th]u redist er herist redyng, I wil be plesyd wyth [th]e': Margery Kempe and the Locations for Middle English Devotional Reading and Hearing

Perry, Ryan M M and Tuck, Lawrence S. (2016) '[W]he[th]yr [th]u redist er herist redyng, I wil be plesyd wyth [th]e': Margery Kempe and the Locations for Middle English Devotional Reading and Hearing. In: Flannery, Mary C. and Griffin, Carrie, eds. Spaces for Reading in Later Medieval England. The New Middle Ages . Palgrave Macmillan / Springer, UK, pp. 133-148. ISBN 978-1-137-42861-5. E-ISBN 978-1-137-42862-2. (doi:10.1057/9781137428622) (KAR id:55855)

Abstract

This essay discusses the places in which Middle English devotional reading took place, focussing particular on the church and household as centres for access to religious literatures. The possibility of aural 'reading' contexts are examined, and in the process the idea that a listener is somehow less powerful in the dynamics of medieval literacy is challenged – indeed, the reader-by-hearing, it is argued, is often empowered in such a mode of literary access, able to ruminate upon text rather than the somatic instrument of textual performance.

Item Type: Book section
DOI/Identification number: 10.1057/9781137428622
Uncontrolled keywords: reading, history of reading ,medieval studies, history of religion, Middle English literature, book history
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BX Christian Denominations
P Language and Literature
P Language and Literature > PR English literature
Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources
Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z4 Books. Writing. Paleography
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of English
Depositing User: Ryan Perry
Date Deposited: 08 Jun 2016 16:34 UTC
Last Modified: 29 May 2019 17:27 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/55855 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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