Parody in the Middle Ages: The Latin Tradition (Recentiores: Later Latin Texts And Contexts)

Parody in the Middle Ages: The Latin Tradition surveys and analyzes Latin parodies of texts and documents--Biblical parody, drinker's masses, bawdy litanies, lives of saints such as Nemo (Nobody) and Invicem (One-Another), and nonsense texts--in Western Europe from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance. This book also sketches in the background to the canonical works of medieval literature: Chaucer's fabliaux, French comic tales such as the Roman de Renart, and medieval satire in general. Bayless' study shows with great clarity that parody was a significant and vibrant literary form in the Middle Ages. In addition, her research sheds new light on clerical culture. The clerics who composed these parodies were far from meddling guardians of somber piety; rather, they appeared to see no contradiction between merriment and devotion. The wide dissemination and long life of these drolleries--some circulated for a thousand years--indicate a taste for clerical amusement that challenges conventional views of medieval solemnity. Parody in the Middle Ages surveys in detail five of the most common traditions of parody. It provides a complete list of all known medieval Latin parodies, and also provides twenty complete texts in an appendix in the original Latin, with English translations. These texts have been collated from over a hundred manuscripts, many previously unknown. The study brings to light both a form and many texts that have remained obscure and inaccessible until now. Parody in the Middle The Latin Tradition surveys and analyzes Latin parodies of texts and documents--Biblical parody, drinker's masses, bawdy litanies, lives of saints such as Nemo (Nobody) and Invicem (One-Another), and nonsense texts--in Western Europe from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance. This book also sketches in the background to the canonical works of medieval Chaucer's fabliaux, French comic tales such as the Roman de Renart, and medieval satire in general. Bayless' study shows with great clarity that parody was a significant and vibrant literary form in the Middle Ages. In addition, her research sheds new light on clerical culture. The clerics who composed these parodies were far from meddling guardians of somber piety; rather, they appeared to see no contradiction between merriment and devotion. The wide dissemination and long life of these drolleries--some circulated for a thousand years--indicate a taste for clerical amusement that challenges conventional views of medieval solemnity. Parody in the Middle Ages surveys in detail five of the most common traditions of parody. It provides a complete list of all known medieval Latin parodies, and also provides twenty complete texts in an appendix in the original Latin, with English translations. These texts have been collated from over a hundred manuscripts, many previously unknown. The study brings to light both a form and many texts that have remained obscure and inaccessible until now. Parody in the Middle Ages appeals to the modern audience not only for its cultural value but also for the same reason the parodies appealed to the medieval they are simply very funny. This welcome new volume will be of particular interest to students of medieval satire and literary culture, to medieval Latinists, and to those who want to explore the breadth of medieval culture. Martha Bayless is Assistant Professor of English, University of Oregon. Parody in the Middle Ages: The Latin Tradition surveys and analyzes Latin parodies of texts and documents in Western Europe. Biblical parody, drinker's masses, bawdy litanies, lives of saints such as Nemo (Nobody) and Invicem (One-Another), and nonsense texts were all part of this irreverent genre written from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. This book surveys an entire tradition, and in so doing also sketches in the background to the canonical works of medieval literature: Chaucer's fabliaux, French comic tales such as the Roman de Renart, and medieval satire in general. Parody in the Middle Ages surveys in detail five of the most common traditions of parody. It provides a handlist of medieval Latin parodies and also provides in an appendix 18 complete texts in the original Latin, with English translations. These texts have been collated from over a hundred manuscripts, many previously unknown. Parody in the Middle Ages appeals to the modern audience not only for its cultural value but also for the same reason the parodies appealed to the medieval audience: they are simply very funny. This welcome new volume will be of particular interest to students of medieval satire and literary culture, to medieval Latinists, and to those who want to explore the breadth of medieval culture. Abbreviations xi 1. Introduction 1 2. The Biblical Feast and Allegorical Parody 19 3. Mock Saints’ Lives 57 4. Liturgical Parody 93 5. Humorous Centos 129 6. Religion and Humor in the Middle Ages 177 Appendices 213 1. Handlist of Medieval Latin Parody 215 2. Editions and Translations 229 1. The Arras Cena 230 2. The Long Nemo 259 First Appendix: Ciceronian additions to the Heidelberg manuscript 276 Second Appendix: The end of the Hamburg manuscript version 276 Third Appendix: The end of the Paris manuscript version 277 3. The Abbreviated Long Nemo 288 4. The Short Nemo 292 5. The Combined Nemo 303 6. The Long Invicem 311 7. The Short Invicem: The Hamburg Recension 316 8. The Money-Gospel: The “Intermediate” Version 321 9. The Students’ Money-Gospel 332 10. Missa potatorum 338 11. A Drinkers’ Mass (Confitemini Dolio) 346 12. Fragments of Drinkers’Masses 354 13. Fratres mei dilectissimi 363 14. Sermo sententiosissimus 369 15. Sermo de nihil 377 16. Lectio Danielis prophete 387 17. Exhortatio catechistica Luteranorum 394 18. Parody Acrostics 399 Bibliography 405 Index of Manuscripts 421 General Index 423