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The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism VOLUME 2 The Middle Ages This is the first-ever history of the literary theory and criticism produced during the Middle Ages that covers all the main traditions in Latin, the major European vernaculars, and Byzantine Greek. Starting with sections on the rich array of materials found within the study of grammar and the formal ‘arts’ of poetry, letter-writing and preaching, it proceeds to offer a full description of the Latin commentary tradition on classical and classicising literature, followed by explanations of medieval views on literary imagination and memory, and the ways in which certain texts were believed to achieve moral profit through pleasure. The remainder of the volume, and its largest part, is taken up with accounts of the diverse theoretical and critical traditions which developed in the vernacular languages, ranging from Medieval Irish to Old Norse, Occitan to Middle High German. Since many of the most significant developments occurred in Italy, a series of chapters is devoted to the contributions made by Dante and the commentators on his Commedia, the debates on Latin versus vernacular, and humanist views on poetry and prose. Finally the volume moves from the Latin West to Greek Byzantium, to review the attitudes held there concerning literature and its various uses. The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism founding editors Professor H. B. Nisbet University of Cambridge Professor Claude Rawson Yale University The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism provides a comprehensive historical account of Western literary criticism from classical Antiquity to the present day, dealing with both literary theory and critical practice. The History is intended as an authoritative work of reference and exposition, but more than a mere chronicle of facts. While remaining broadly non-partisan it will, where appropriate, address controversial issues of current critical debate without evasion or false pretences of neutrality. Each volume is a self-contained unit designed to be used independently as well as in conjunction with the others in the series. Substantial bibliographical material in each volume provides a foundation for further study of the subjects in question. volumes published Volume 1: Classical Criticism, edited by George A. Kennedy Volume 2: The Middle Ages, edited by Alastair Minnis and Ian Johnson Volume 3: The Renaissance, edited by Glyn P. Norton Volume 4: The Eighteenth Century, edited by H. B. Nisbet and Claude Rawson Volume 5: Romanticism, edited by Marshall Brown Volume 7: Modernism and the New Criticism, edited by A. Walton Litz, Louis Menand and Lawrence Rainey Volume 8: From Formalism to Post-Structuralism, edited by Raman Selden Volume 9: Twentieth-Century Historical, Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives, edited by Christa Knellwolf and Christopher Norris v o l u m e s i n p r e pa r a t i o n Volume 6: The Nineteenth Century, edited by M. A. R. Habib The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism VOLUME 2 The Middle Ages Edited by Alastair Minnis and Ian Johnson cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, S a˜ o Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 2ru, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521300070 C Cambridge University Press 2005 This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2005 Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge A catalogue record for this book is available from the Bri