070044 GR Guided Reading (2016S)

It is commonly held that in the Middle Ages people were not allowed to think for themselves and quietly obeyed the church. When we look at the sources, however, we see that poets, courtiers, self-appointed advisors and scholars were not afraid to speak their mind. They did not hesitate (or so it seems) to confront rulers with the truth. How did critics persuade a king, queen or emperor (or occasionally an archbishop or pope) to change their policy and how did they get away with their, sometimes fierce, criticism? To understand how this worked, we need to look at the rhetoric these critics used. In this Guided reading course we will read a variety of sources -speeches, letters, poetry, political pamphlets- from 600 to 1000 and analyse the rhetorical strategies with which authors tried to get their critical message across (without losing their head). Was their rhetoric very different from the rhetoric of modern-day critics? Next to these primary sources we will read secondary literature on medieval rhetoric. We also look at some rhetorical handbooks from the period that offered practical advice on 'how to speak freely' or how 'to criticize your superior'. What can these texts and their rhetorical strategies tell us about ideals on free speech and criticism that prevailed at the time? And what does it say about political reality? Students interested in political criticism in later periods, are welcome to bring in suggestions for sources for further reading.
The aim of this guided reading class is to let students get acquainted with source analysis, (medieval) rhetoric and its social role, and with the political and cultural world of the Early Middle Ages. Method: Students practice their critical and analytical skills reading medieval sources and specialist literature.