This course will trace the presentation of visions in medieval English texts, from the earliest accounts such as the Old English Dream of the Rood, to the late Middle English descriptions of visions in The Book of Margery Kempe. Visions provided a means of describing the ineffable; they could also give authority to the visionary, which might explain why many visionary accounts are by women. But visions were also potentially subversive, and opened the visionary up to scrutiny. Topics considered in the course will include: the conservatism of visionary language versus its potential subversiveness; the role of the ‘author’ in relation to God; the role of women in the creation of religious texts; strategies for creating a language to describe the ineffable. 22.02 Visions in the Old Testament: the Old English Daniel 01.03 Roman women’s visions I: Perpetua 08.03 More Old English visions: Elene, Caedmon 15.03 Vision or Riddle? The Dream of the Rood 22.03 Roman women’s visions II: St Margaret 29.03 The visions of kings: Leofric 05.04 Roman women’s visions III : St Cecilia 12.04 Philosophical visions: Boethius and Lady Wisdom 19.04 EASTER VAC 26.04 Visions of suffering and song: Richard Rolle 03.05 European contexts: Beguine visions 10.05 The Revelation of Love: Julian of Norwich I 17.05 The Revelation of Love: Julian of Norwich II 31.05 The Book of Margery Kempe |