The Past as Text: The Theory and Practice of Medieval Historiography (Parallax: Re-visions of Culture and Society)

"Spiegel, in elegant and thoughtful fashion, and with a deep understanding of the period, provides us with a skillful analysis of the sources, their inter-connections, and the motives of their authors, which makes this a very useful and worthwhile book." — Virginia Quarterly Review Postmodernism has challenged historians to look at historical texts in a new way and to be skeptical of the claim that one can confidently retrieve "fact" from historical writings. In The Past as Text , historian Gabrielle M. Spiegel sets out to read medieval histories and chronicles in light of the critical-theoretical problems raised by postmodernism. At the same time she urges a method of analysis that enables the reader to recognize these texts simultaneously as artifice and as works deeply embedded in a historically determinate, knowable social world. Beginning with a theoretical basis for the study of medieval historiography, Spiegel demonstrates her theory in practice, offering readings of medieval histories and chronicles as literary, social, and political constructions. The study insightfully concludes that historians should be equally aware of the discursive nature, literary modes, and ideological investments of such texts and the social circumstances to which they were applied and by which they were generated. Arguing for the "social logic of the text," Spiegel provides historians with a way to retrieve the social significance and conceptual claims produced by these medieval or any historical writings. " The Past as Text is successful in its entirety, as parts and as a whole. It is lucid, acute, deeply humane in the author's ongoing project of understanding the medieval past and the history-making present. It is a reader-friendly book in the very best sense. It is good theory and good history: postmodernism without apocalyptic posing, exhilarating and humane." — Nancy F. Partner, McGill University Postmodernism Has Challenged Historians To Look At Historical Texts In A New Way And To Be Skeptical Of The Claim That One Can Confidently Retrieve Fact From Historical Writings. In The Past As Text Historian Gabrielle M. Spiegel Sets Out To Read Long-familiar Medieval Histories And Chronicles In Light Of The Critical-theoretical Problems Raised By Postmodernism. At The Same Time She Urges A Method Of Analysis That Enables The Reader To Recognize These Texts Simultaneously As Sacrifice And As Works Deeply Embedded In A Historically Determinate, Knowable Social World. Arguing For The Social Logic Of The Text, Spiegel Provides Historians With A Way To Retrieve The Social Significance And Conceptual Claims Produced By These Medieval Or Any Historical Writings. 1. Theory. 1. History, Historicism, And The Social Logic Of The Text. 2. Orations Of The Dead/silences Of The Living: The Sociology Of The Linguistic Turn. 3. Towards A Theory Of The Middle Ground. 4. In The Mirror's Eye: The Writing Of Medieval History In North America -- 2. Practice. 5. Political Utility In Medieval Historiography: A Sketch. 6. Genealogy: Form And Function In Medieval Historiography. 7. The Reditus Regni And Stirpem Karoli Magni: A New Look. 8. The Cult Of Saint Denis And Capetian Kingship. 9. History As Enlightenment: Suger And The Mos Anagogicus. 10. Social Change And Literary Language: The Textualization Of The Past In Thirteenth-century Old French Historiography. Gabrielle M. Spiegel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-285) And Index. This study of familiar medieval histories and chronicles argues that the historian should be aware of the discursive nature, literary modes, and ideological investments of such texts as well as the social circumstances to which they were applied and by which they were generated. Postmodernism has challenged historians to look at historical texts in a new way and to be skeptical of the claim that one can confidently retrieve "fact" from historical writings. In The Past as Text historian Gabrielle M. Spiegel sets out to read medieval histories and chronicles in light of the critical-theoretical problems raised by postmodernism. At the same time she urges a method of analysis that enables the reader to recognize these texts simultaneously as artifice and as works deeply embedded in a historically determinate, knowable social world. Beginning with a theoretical basis for the study of medieval historiography, Spiegel demonstrates her theory in practice, offering readings of medieval histories and chronicles as literary, social, and political constructions. The study insightfully concludes that historians should be equally aware of the discursive nature, literary modes, and ideological investments of such texts and the social circumstances to which they were applied and by which they were generated. Arguing for the "social logic of the text," Spiegel provides historians with a way to retrieve the social significance and conceptual claims produced by these medieval or any historical writings. Postmodernism has challenged historians to look at historical texts in a new way and to be skeptical of the claim that one can confidently retrieve "fact" from historical writings. In The Past as Text historian Gabrielle M. Spiegel sets out to read long-familiar medieval histories and chronicles in light of the critical-theoretical problems raised by postmodernism. At the same time she urges a method of analysis that enables the reader to recognize these texts simultaneously as sacrifice and as works deeply embedded in a historically determinate, knowable social world. Arguing for the "social logic of the text," Spiegel provides historians with a way to retrieve the social significance and conceptual claims produced by these medieval or any historical writings. -- Publisher description The essays collected in this book span two decades of an intense and challenging scholarly engagement in problems of historical writing, both on the theoretical level of a meditation on the nature and modes of narrating what we call the past and on the practical level of the study of medieval historiography. Spiegel begins by providing the theoretical basis for the study of medieval historiography. Then she demonstrates this theory in practice, offering readings of medieval histories and chronicles as literary, social, and political constructions.