The Book of Margery Kempe is a medieval text attributed to Margery Kempe, an EnglishChristianmystic and pilgrim who lived at the turn of the fifteenth century. It details Kempe's life, her travels, her accounts of divine revelation including her visions of interacting with the Trinity, particularly Jesus, as well as other biblical figures. These interactions take place through a strong, mental connection forged between Kempe and said biblical figures. The book is also notable for her claiming to be present at key biblical events such as the Nativity, shown in chapter six of Book I, [1] and the Crucifixion. [2]
Manuscript of The Book of Margery Kempe, chapter 18 (excerpt)
Kempe's book is written in the third person, employing the phrase "this creature" when referring to Kempe in order to display humility before God, via the distancing from her self by abandoning the first-person narrative form. It is structured into two "books" totaling 6047 lines; the first book containing 5246 lines and the second book consisting of 801 lines. [3][4][5] Kempe claimed to be illiterate and her book was dictated to two scribes who set it down. Modern editions of Kempe's book are based on a manuscript copied by a scribe named Salthows sometime in the fifteenth century (the original manuscript has been lost). Recent research by Anthony Bale suggests that Salthows was one Richard Salthouse, a monk at Norwich’s cathedral priory.[6] The manuscript, then owned by Colonel W. Butler-Bowdon, was found in a country-house in Derbyshire in the early 1930s, and was identified as Margery Kempe’s book by Hope Emily Allen in 1934, who was instrumental in the publication of the second modern, and first scholarly, edition of the text.[7] The manuscript was purchased by the British Library from Captain Maurice E. Butler Bowdon (1910-1984) at an auction held by Sotheby's in London on 24 June 1980.[8]
Prior to the discovery of the full text, all that was known of Kempe's book were pamphlets published by Wynkyn de Worde in 1501 and Henry Pepwell in 1521 which contained excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe. Kempe's book is widely cited as the first autobiography in English; however, scholars disagree on whether it can accurately be called an autobiography, or whether it would be more accurately classified as a confession of faith or autohagiography.[9][10] There has been some discussion about conceptualizing Margery Kempe as a character or persona instead of treating the book as purely autobiographical, similar to how Geoffrey Chaucer as an author differs from Chaucer the character in The Canterbury Tales. [11]
Manuscript featuresedit
The Book of Margery Kempe is currently in the possession of the British Library. The manuscript has been digitized and can can be viewed online. [12] Written in Gothic Cursive hand, it consists of 124 folio pages, measuring 205 x 140mm. Four distinct hands have been identified writing annotations and making illustrations within the marginalia of the manuscript, the most recognizable script being one made in red ink. [5] It could be concluded through the effort of making of these annotations that Kempe's book was frequently used and valued as a text, perhaps its contents viewed with admiration for its religious fervor. The underlining and highlighting by various hands demonstrates the aspects of her text that are valued, perhaps even to draw away from Kempe's more radical and disruptive facets. [11]
Manuscript, modern editions and translationsedit
"British Library Catalogue: Add. MS 61823: The Book of Margery Kempe".[13] London: British Library. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe, ed. Sanford Brown Meech, with prefatory note by Hope Emily Allen (EETS. Original series; no. 212). London: Oxford University Press, 1940.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe, trans. Barry Windeatt. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1985.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe: The Autobiography of the Wild Woman of God, trans. Tony D. Triggs. Barnhart: Liguori Publications, 1995; Tunbridge Wells: Burns and Oates, 1995.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe, ed. Lynn Staley. Kalamazoo: Medieval Institute Publications, 1996.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe: A New Translation, trans. John Skinner. New York: Image Books/Doubleday, 1998.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe: A New Translation, Contexts and Criticism, trans. and ed., Lynn Staley. New York: Norton, 2001.
Kempe, Margery. The Book of Margery Kempe, trans. Anthony Bale. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015
Referencesedit
^"The Book of Margery Kempe: Book I, Part I | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
^"The Book of Margery Kempe: Book I, Part I | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
^"The Book of Margery Kempe: Book I, Part I | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
^"The Book of Margery Kempe: Book I, Part II | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
^ ab"The Book of Margery Kempe: Book II | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
^Bale, Anthony (2017). "Richard Salthouse of Norwich and the Scribe of The Book of Margery Kempe". Chaucer Review. 52 (2): 173–187. doi:10.5325/chaucerrev.52.2.0173.
^Maude, Kathryn (2014). "Citation and Marginalisation: The Ethics of Feminism in Medieval Studies". Journal of Gender Studies. 23 (3): 1–15 [8–9]. doi:10.1080/09589236.2014.909719. S2CID 145600388.
^Atkinson, Clarissa W. (1983). Mystic and Pilgrim: The Book and the World of Margery Kempe. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. pp. 9–23. ISBN0-8014-9895-3.
^Barratt, Alexandra (2013-12-16). "Women's Writing in Middle English". doi:10.4324/9781315833903. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ ab"The Book of Margery Kempe: Introduction | Robbins Library Digital Projects". d.lib.rochester.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
Fredell, Joel. "Project: The Book of Margery Kempe". Hammond, Louisiana: Southeastern Louisiana University.
January 19, 2024
book, margery, kempe, medieval, text, attributed, margery, kempe, english, christian, mystic, pilgrim, lived, turn, fifteenth, century, details, kempe, life, travels, accounts, divine, revelation, including, visions, interacting, with, trinity, particularly, j. The Book of Margery Kempe is a medieval text attributed to Margery Kempe an English Christian mystic and pilgrim who lived at the turn of the fifteenth century It details Kempe s life her travels her accounts of divine revelation including her visions of interacting with the Trinity particularly Jesus as well as other biblical figures These interactions take place through a strong mental connection forged between Kempe and said biblical figures The book is also notable for her claiming to be present at key biblical events such as the Nativity shown in chapter six of Book I 1 and the Crucifixion 2 Manuscript of The Book of Margery Kempe chapter 18 excerpt Contents 1 Content 2 Manuscript features 3 Manuscript modern editions and translations 4 References 5 External linksContent editKempe s book is written in the third person employing the phrase this creature when referring to Kempe in order to display humility before God via the distancing from her self by abandoning the first person narrative form It is structured into two books totaling 6047 lines the first book containing 5246 lines and the second book consisting of 801 lines 3 4 5 Kempe claimed to be illiterate and her book was dictated to two scribes who set it down Modern editions of Kempe s book are based on a manuscript copied by a scribe named Salthows sometime in the fifteenth century the original manuscript has been lost Recent research by Anthony Bale suggests that Salthows was one Richard Salthouse a monk at Norwich s cathedral priory 6 The manuscript then owned by Colonel W Butler Bowdon was found in a country house in Derbyshire in the early 1930s and was identified as Margery Kempe s book by Hope Emily Allen in 1934 who was instrumental in the publication of the second modern and first scholarly edition of the text 7 The manuscript was purchased by the British Library from Captain Maurice E Butler Bowdon 1910 1984 at an auction held by Sotheby s in London on 24 June 1980 8 Prior to the discovery of the full text all that was known of Kempe s book were pamphlets published by Wynkyn de Worde in 1501 and Henry Pepwell in 1521 which contained excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe Kempe s book is widely cited as the first autobiography in English however scholars disagree on whether it can accurately be called an autobiography or whether it would be more accurately classified as a confession of faith or autohagiography 9 10 There has been some discussion about conceptualizing Margery Kempe as a character or persona instead of treating the book as purely autobiographical similar to how Geoffrey Chaucer as an author differs from Chaucer the character in The Canterbury Tales 11 Manuscript features editThe Book of Margery Kempe is currently in the possession of the British Library The manuscript has been digitized and can can be viewed online 12 Written in Gothic Cursive hand it consists of 124 folio pages measuring 205 x 140mm Four distinct hands have been identified writing annotations and making illustrations within the marginalia of the manuscript the most recognizable script being one made in red ink 5 It could be concluded through the effort of making of these annotations that Kempe s book was frequently used and valued as a text perhaps its contents viewed with admiration for its religious fervor The underlining and highlighting by various hands demonstrates the aspects of her text that are valued perhaps even to draw away from Kempe s more radical and disruptive facets 11 Manuscript modern editions and translations edit British Library Catalogue Add MS 61823 The Book of Margery Kempe 13 London British Library Retrieved 12 July 2016 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe ed Sanford Brown Meech with prefatory note by Hope Emily Allen EETS Original series no 212 London Oxford University Press 1940 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe trans Barry Windeatt Harmondsworth Penguin 1985 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe The Autobiography of the Wild Woman of God trans Tony D Triggs Barnhart Liguori Publications 1995 Tunbridge Wells Burns and Oates 1995 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe ed Lynn Staley Kalamazoo Medieval Institute Publications 1996 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe A New Translation trans John Skinner New York Image Books Doubleday 1998 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe A New Translation Contexts and Criticism trans and ed Lynn Staley New York Norton 2001 Kempe Margery The Book of Margery Kempe trans Anthony Bale Oxford Oxford University Press 2015References edit The Book of Margery Kempe Book I Part I Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 The Book of Margery Kempe Book I Part I Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 The Book of Margery Kempe Book I Part I Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 The Book of Margery Kempe Book I Part II Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 a b The Book of Margery Kempe Book II Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 Bale Anthony 2017 Richard Salthouse of Norwich and the Scribe of The Book of Margery Kempe Chaucer Review 52 2 173 187 doi 10 5325 chaucerrev 52 2 0173 Maude Kathryn 2014 Citation and Marginalisation The Ethics of Feminism in Medieval Studies Journal of Gender Studies 23 3 1 15 8 9 doi 10 1080 09589236 2014 909719 S2CID 145600388 British Library Add MS 61823 sfn error no target CITEREFBritish Library Add MS 61823 help Atkinson Clarissa W 1983 Mystic and Pilgrim The Book and the World of Margery Kempe Ithaca Cornell University Press pp 9 23 ISBN 0 8014 9895 3 Barratt Alexandra 2013 12 16 Women s Writing in Middle English doi 10 4324 9781315833903 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help a b The Book of Margery Kempe Introduction Robbins Library Digital Projects d lib rochester edu Retrieved 2023 02 08 Digitised Manuscripts www bl uk Retrieved 2023 02 08 Digitised Manuscripts www bl uk Retrieved 2023 02 08 External links editFredell Joel Project The Book of Margery Kempe Hammond Louisiana Southeastern Louisiana University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Book of Margery Kempe amp oldid 1173576803, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
