The book of the incipit : beginnings in the fourteenth century

Medieval Studies/Literary Theory An intriguing evaluation of the concept of beginnings in the medieval period. In the first book to examine one of the most peculiar features of one of the greatest and most perplexing poems of England's late Middle Ages-the successive attempts of Piers Plowman to begin, and to keep beginning-D. Vance Smith compels us to rethink beginning, as concept and practice, in both medieval and contemporary terms. The problem of beginning was invested with increasing urgency in the fourteenth century, imagined and grappled with in the courts, the churches, the universities, the workshops, the fields, and the streets of England. The Book of the Incipit reveals how Langland's poem exemplifies a widespread interest in beginning in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, an interest that appears in such divergent fields as the physics of motion, the measurement of time, logic, grammar, rhetoric, theology, book production, and insurrection. Smith offers a theoretical understanding of beginning that departs from the structuralisms of Edward Said and the traditional formalisms of A. D. Nuttall and most medievalist and modernist treatments of closure. Instead, he conceives a work's beginning as a figure of the beginning of the work itself, the inception of language as the problem of beginning to which we continue to return. D. Vance Smith is assistant professor of English at Princeton University. This Is The First Book To Examine A Peculiar Feature Of One Of The Greatest And Most Perplexing Poems Of England's Late Middle Ages - The Successive Attempts Of Piers Plowman To Begin, And To Keep Beginning. D. Vance Smith Compels Us To Rethink Beginning, As Concept And Practice, In Both Medieval And Contemporary Terms. The Problem Of Beginning Was Invested With Increasing Urgency In The 1300s; It Was Grappled With In England's Courts, Churches, Universities, Workshops, Fields, And Streets. The Book Of The Incipit Reveals How Langland's Poem Exemplifies The Widespread Interest In Beginning In The Thirteenth And Fourteenth Centuries, An Interest That Is Evident In Such Divergent Fields As Physics, Time Measurement, Logic, Grammar, Rhetoric, Theology, And Book Production. Smith Offers A Theoretical Understanding Of Beginning That Departs From The Structuralisms Of Edward Said, The Traditional Formalisms Of A.d. Nuttall, And Most Medievalist And Modernist Treatments Of Closure. Instead, He Views A Work's Beginning As A Figure Of The Beginning Of The Work Itself, And The Inception Of Language As The Problem Of Beginning To Which We Continually Return.--jacket. Incipit: A Fourteenth-century Incipit -- Initium: Incipits And The Intentions Of Vernacular Writing -- Exordium: Making Beginnings: Disposition And Inscription -- Thema: The Book That Makes Itself -- Origo: Genealogy: Engenderment And Digression -- Conditora: The Archive Of Grammar: Beginning And Documentary Remembrance -- Principium: Beginning Perfection: The Theology Of Inception. D. Vance Smith. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This is the first book to examine a peculiar feature of one of the greatest and most perplexing poems of England's late Middle Ages - the successive attempts of Piers Plowman to begin, and to keep beginning. D. Vance Smith compels us to rethink beginning, as concept and practice, in both medieval and contemporary terms.". "The problem of beginning was invested with increasing urgency in the 1300s; it was grappled with in England's courts, churches, universities, workshops, fields, and streets. The Book of the Incipit reveals how Langland's poem exemplifies the widespread interest in beginning in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, an interest that is evident in such divergent fields as physics, time measurement, logic, grammar, rhetoric, theology, and book production.". "Smith offers a theoretical understanding of beginning that departs from the structuralisms of Edward Said, the traditional formalisms of A. D. Nuttall, and most medievalist and modernist treatments of closure. Instead, he views a work's beginning as a figure of the beginning of the work itself, and the inception of language as the problem of beginning to which we continually return."--BOOK JACKET. A mostly theoretical and philosophical examination of the concept of beginnings in medieval literature, notably in Piers Plowman , as well as grammar, rhetoric, physics, theology and genealogy. Smith focuses on the ways in which texts begin and how the initiative of beginning, heralded as a call for action, is maintained.