What Nature does not Teach: Didactic Literature in the Medieval and Early Modern Periods (disputatio)

This interdisciplinary study takes as its subject the multi-faceted genre of didactic literature (the literature of instruction) which constituted the cornerstone of literary enterprise and social control in medieval and early-modern Europe. Following an introduction that raises questions of didactic meaning, intent, audience, and social effect, nineteen chapters deal with the construction of the individual didactic voice and persona in the premodern period, didactic literature for children, women as the creators, objects, and consumers of didactic literature, the influence of advice literature on adult literacy, piety, and heresy, and the revision of classical didactic forms and motifs in the early-modern period. Attention is paid throughout to the continuities of didactic literature across the medieval and early-modern periods -- its intertextuality, reliance on tradition, and self-renewal -- and to questions of gender, authority, control, and the socially constructed nature of advice. Contributors particularly explore the intersection of advice literature with real lives, considering the social impact of both individual texts and the didactic genre as a whole. The volume deals with a wide variety of texts from the early Middle Ages to the eighteenth century, written in languages from Latin through the European vernaculars to Byzantine Greek and Russian, offering a comprehensive overview of this pervasive and influential genre Front matter (“Contents”, “Preface”, “List of Illustrations”), p. i Free Access Introduction: Approaches to Didactic Literature—Meaning, Intent, Audience, Social Effect, p. 1 Juanita Feros Ruys https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3245 The Pseudo-Aristotelian Secret of Secrets as a Didactic Text, p. 41 Steven J. Williams https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3246 Preaching and Teaching: The Codex Rustici as Confused Pilgrimage Tale, p. 59 Kathleen Olive https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3247 ‘Nee en Ytale’: Christine de Pizan’s Migrant Didactic Voice, p. 81 Louise d’Arcens https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3248 Vladimir Monomakh’s Instruction: An Old Russian Pedagogic Treatise, p. 109 Maria Nenarokova https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3249 Didactic ‘I’s and the Voice of Experience in Advice from Medieval and Early-Modern Parents to Their Children, p. 129 Juanita Feros Ruys https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3250 ‘The world must be peopled’: Children and Their Context in Renaissance Florence, p. 163 Catherine England https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3251 Women Teachers in Early Byzantine Hagiography, p. 189 Stavroula Constantinou https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3252 Thomasin von Zerclaere’s Der Welsche Gast and Hugo von Trimberg’s Der Renner: Two Middle High German Didactic Writers Focus on Gender Relations, p. 205 Albrecht Classen https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3253 Guidance for Men Who Minister to Women in the Liber de reformatione monasterorium of Johannes Busch, p. 231 Julie Hotchin https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3254 Elizabethan Drama and The Instruction of a Christian Woman by Juan Luis Vives, p. 261 Ursula Potter https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3255 English Translations of Didactic Literature for Women to 1550, p. 287 Alexandra Barratt https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3256 Lawrence of Amalfi and the Boundary between the Oral and the Written in Eleventh-Century Europe, p. 305 John O. Ward https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3257 Master Vacarius, Speroni, and Heresy: Law and Theology as Didactic Literature in the Twelfth Century, p. 345 Jason Taliadoros https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3258 ‘For lewed men y vndyr toke on englyssh tonge to make this boke’: Handlyng Synne and English Didactic Writing for the Laity, p. 377 Anne M. Scott https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3259 Anglo-Latin Collections of the Gesta Romanorum and Their Role in the Cure of Souls, p. 401 Philippa Bright https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3260 ‘Dulces discet ab arte sonos’: The Latin Didactic Poem on Music of Philomathes (Vienna, 1512), p. 427 Frances Muecke, Robert Forgács https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3261 Vindicating Vulcan: Renaissance Manuals of Mining and Metallurgy, p. 449 Anthony Miller https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3262 Astronomy and Philosophical Orientation in Classical and Renaissance Didactic Poetry, p. 473 Emma Gee https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3263 Sleeping with the Enemy: Tommaso Ceva’s Use and Abuse of Lucretius in the Philosophia novo-antiqua (Milan, 1704), p. 497 Yasmin Haskell https://doi.org/10.1484/M.DISPUT-EB.3.3264 Back matter (“List of Contributors”), p. 521 Approaches To Didactic Literature, Meaning, Intent, Audience, Social Effect / Juanita Feros Ruys -- The Pseudo-aristotelian Secret Of Secrets As A Didactic Text / Steven J. Williams -- Preaching And Teaching : The Codex Rustici As Confused Pilgrimage Tale / Kathleen Olive -- Nee En Ytale : Christine De Pizan's Migrant Didactic Voice / Louise D'arcens -- Vladimir Monomakh's Instruction : An Old Russian Pedagogic Treatise / Maria Nenarokova -- Didactic Is And The Voice Of Experience In Advice From Medieval And Early-modern Parents To Their Children / Juanita Feros Ruys -- The World Must Be Peopled : Children And Their Context In Renaissance Florence / Catherine England -- Women Teachers In Early Byzantine Hagiography / Stavroula Constantinou -- Thomasin Von Zerclaere's Der Welsche Gast And Hugo Von Trimberg's Der Renner : Two Middle High German Didactic Writers Focus On Gender Relations / Albrecht Classen --^ Guidance For Men Who Minister To Women In The Liber De Reformation Monasterorium Of Johannes Busch / Julie Hotchin -- Elizabethan Drama And The Instruction Of A Chrisitian Woman By Juan Luis Vives / Ursula Potter -- English Translations Of Didactic Literature For Women To 1550 / Alexandra Barratt -- Lawrence Of Amalfi And The Boundary Between The Oral And The Written In Eleventh-century Europe / John O. Ward -- Master Vacarius, Speroni, And Heresy : Law And Theology As Didactic Literature In The Twelfth Century / Jason Taliadoros -- For Lewed Men Y Vndyr Toke On Englyssh Tonge To Make This Boke : Handlying Synne And English Didactic Writing For The Laity / Anne M. Scott -- Anglo-latin Collection Of The Gesta Romanorum And Their Role In The Cure Of Souls / Philippa Bright -- Dulces Discet Ab Arte Sonos : The Latin Didactic Poem On Music Of Philomathes (vienna, 1512) / Frances Muecke And Robert Forgács --^ Vindicating Vulcan : Renaissance Manuals Of Mining And Metallurgy / Anthony Miller -- Astronomy And Philopsphical Orientation In Classical And Renaissance Didactic Poetry / Emma Gee -- Sleeping With The Enemy : Tommaso Ceva's Use And Abuse Of Lucretius In The Philosophia Novo-antiqua (milan, 1704) / Yasmin Haskell. Edited By Juanita Feros Ruys. Some Of The Chapters Are Revised Versions Of Papers Originally Presented At A One-day Conference Held At The Centre For Medieval Studies, University Of Sydney, In November 2004. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This interdisciplinary volume takes as its subject the multi-faceted genre of didactic literature (the literature of instruction), which constituted the cornerstone of literary enterprise and social control in medieval and early modern Europe. Following an Introduction that raises questions of didactic meaning, intent, audience, and social effect, nineteen chapters deal with the construction of the individual didactic voice and persona in the premodern period, didactic literature for children, women as the creators, objects, and consumers of didactic literature, the influence of advice literature on adult literacy, piety, and heresy, and the revision of classical didactic forms and motifs in the early modern period. Attention is paid throughout to the continuities of didactic literature across the medieval and early modern periods-its intertextuality, reliance on tradition, and self-renewal-and to questions of gender, authority, control, and the socially constructed nature of advice. Contributors particularly explore the intersection of advice literature with real lives, considering the social impact of both individual texts and the didactic genre as a whole. The volume deals with a wide variety of texts from the early Middle Ages to the eighteenth century, written in languages from Latin through the European vernaculars to Byzantine Greek and Russian, offering a comprehensive overview of this pervasive and influential genre.