Tuesday 29 November 2016
Monday 28 November 2016
Origins of the English Language
Interesting piece here on, well, what it says in the title - the early history of the English language.
(Canadian readers note that, apparently, Canadian French is similar to medieval French! And you never told me ;) )
Wall paintings in Stratford's Guild Chapel
Recently I came across this article, which describes (and pictures) the wall paintings in the Guild chapel of Stratford-upon-Avon. Like most medieval churches, the chapel's walls were originally covered with murals depicting life, death, heaven, hell, and everything in between. At the Reformation the murals were destroyed, or, as was the case at Stratford, painted over. Recent restoration work in the Guild chapel has uncovered the wall paintings, which, depending on whom you read, are either "some of the finest in Europe" (Daily Mail) or "far from masterpieces, but... show[ing]... medieval England in thrall to devils and death" (The Guardian).
(The Daily Mail gets further carried away, proclaiming that the murals were personally painted over by John Shakespeare, father of the famous William - on the grounds that he was bailiff of Stratford in 1563, when Henry VIII ordered the paintings removed. William Shakespeare was born the following year, 1564, so sadly he never saw the paintings.)
The Daily Mail article has the best images, but here are a few more pages commenting on the wall paintings:
Thursday 17 November 2016
The Soundscapes of the York Mystery Plays
This project (led by the University of York and part of the Being Human Festival of the Humanities) seeks to recreate the soundscapes of the medieval mystery plays. It also incorporates audio material from modern productions of the plays. For more information see:
Monday 14 November 2016
Annual ballet concert
Not remotely medieval, but it's my blog :D
My students are dancing Friday/Saturday - come and cheer us on!
* NB Saturday 10th is also the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park at the Auckland Domain, so parking will be manic. Ye be warned. *
Saturday 12 November 2016
Remembering Leonard Cohen
Show me the place
Where you want your slave to go
Show me the place
I've forgotten I don't know
Show me the place
Where your head is bending low
Show me the place
Where you want your slave to go.
Show me the place
Help me roll away the stone
Show me the place
I can't move this thing alone
Show me the place
Where the Word became a man
Show me the place
Where the suffering began.
The troubles came
I saved what I could save
A thread of light
A particle a wave
But there were chains
So I hastened to behave
There were chains
So I loved you like a slave
Show me the place
Where you want your slave to go
Show me the place
I've forgotten I don't know
Show me the place
For my head is bending low
Show me the place
Where you want your slave to go
The troubles came
I saved what I could save
A thread of light
A particle a wave
But there were chains
So I hastened to behave
There were chains
So I loved you like a slave
Show me the place
Help me roll away the stone
Show me the place
I can't move this thing alone
Show me the place
Where the Word became a man
Show me the place
Where the suffering began.
Leonard Cohen, "Show me the place," in Old Ideas, 2012.
Friday 11 November 2016
Armistice Day
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you with failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
John McCrae, "In Flanders Fields" in In Flanders Fields and Other Poems of the First World War, edited by Brian Busby (London: Arcturus Publishing, 2005), 128.
Tuesday 1 November 2016
Al-hal-day (All Hallow's Day)
Today, 1st November, is traditionally All Hallow's Day, now more commonly known as All Saints' Day. Like many landmarks of the medieval year, it is mentioned in the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem (so many feastdays are mentioned in the poem that it functions almost as a calendar or guide to the medieval year).
Earlier I posted about Michaelmas Day, which heralds the onset of winter and reminds Gawain that he must leave the safety of Arthur's court and set out on his quest for the Green Knight (see my post here). However, Gawain procrastinates (well, who wouldn't, in his situation!) and does not leave Camelot until early November. On All Saints' Day Arthur provides in Gawain's honour a large and hearty feast, and, after much prolonged leave-taking, the knight leaves the next morning:
Yet quyl Al-hal-day with Arther he lenges,
And he made a fare on that fest, for the frekes sake,
With much revel and ryche of the Rounde Table.
Knyghts ful cortays and comlich ladies,
Al for luf of that lede in longynge thay were;
Bot never-the-lece ne the later thay nevened bot merthe,
Mony joyles for that jentyle japes ther maden.
For aftter mete with mournyng he meles to his eme,
And spekes of his passage, and pertly he sayde:
'Now, lege lorde of my lyf, leve I you ask.
Ye knowe the cost of this cace, kepe I ni more
To telle yow tenes therof, never bot trifel;
Bot I am boun to the bur barely to-morne,
To sech the gome of the grene, as God wyl me wisse.
Thenne the best of the burgh bowed togeder,
Aywan and Errik and other ful mony,
Sir Doddinaval de Savage, the duk of Clarence,
Launcelot and Lyonel and Lucan the gode,
Sir Boos and Sir Bydver, big men bothe,
And mony other menskful, with Mador de la Port.
Alle this compayny of court com the kyng nerre,
For to counseyl the knyght, with care at her hert.
There was much derne doel driven in the sale,
That so worthé as Wawan schulde wende on that ernde,
To dryye a delful dynt, and dele no more
wyth bronde.
The knyght mad ay god chere,
And sayde: 'Quat schuld I wonde?'
Of destinés derf and dere
What may mon do bot fonde?'
And to finish off - I know Halloween this year has been and gone, but this post (from the UK, a day behind NZ) landed in my email inbox this morning and I couldn't resist sharing it. It's an old post from the Medieval Manuscripts Blog, "Dress Up for Halloween, Medieval Style," a darkly humorous list of costume ideas based on the weird and wonderful creatures found in the margins of medieval manuscripts. And it does have some relevance to my post today, as it features woodwoses - the mythical tree-men also mentioned in SGGK.
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| Manuscript of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, from the British Library via |
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