DREAM VISION

Biblical apocalypse (revelation)Joseph and Pharaoh, Daniel, Revelation of St John

Biblical apocalypse: Revelation of St John

Biblical apocalypse: Revelation of St John

Macrobius, Commentary on the Dream of Scipio (c. 400)

Macrobius, Commentary on the Dream of Scipio (c. 400)Boethius, On the Consolation of Philosophy (c. 522-4)

Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, The Romance of the Rose (1230-37 and c. 1269-78)

Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, The Romance of the Rose (1230-37 and c. 1269-78)Dante, The Divine Comedy (1307-21)

Guillaume Machaut, Le Remede de Fortune (c. 1340); Jugement dou Roy de Behainge (before 1342); Jugement dou Roy de Navarre (1349); La Fonteinne Amoureuse (c. 1360)Jean Froissart, Paradys dAmours (c. 1362-9)

Guillaume Machaut, Le Remede de Fortune (c. 1340); Jugement dou Roy de Behainge (before 1342); Jugement dou Roy de Navarre (1349); La Fonteinne Amoureuse (c. 1360)Jean Froissart, Paradys dAmours (c. 1362-9)William Langland, Piers Plowman (c. 1362, revisions c. 1377, c. 1390)

John Gower, Vox clamantis (Latin, c. 1385); Confessio amantis (c. 1386-90, revised 1393)

John Gower, Vox clamantis (Latin, c. 1385); Confessio amantis (c. 1386-90, revised 1393)Sir John Clanvowe, The Book of Cupid (c. 1385)

John Gower, Vox clamantis (Latin, c. 1385); Confessio amantis (c. 1386-90, revised 1393)Sir John Clanvowe, The Book of Cupid (c. 1385)Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess (c. 1370); The Parliament of Fowls (c. 1382); The House of Fame (c. 1380-84); The Legend of Good Women (c. 1385-90)

(May morning) prologue

strange world

narrator

superior guide

journey of (self-)discovery

AUTHORITY

AUTHORITY

writing

AUTHORITY

And he said to me: Take the book, and eat it up: and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey.Apocalypse 10.9

AUTHORITY

writing

(mis)reading

AUTHORITY

writing

guide and narrator

AUTHORITY

writing

guide and narrator

dreaming (origins and authenticity)

INTERNALsomnium naturalephysical origins, bodily imbalance (food or humours)somnium animalemental origins (anxiety, fear, hope)

EXTERNALsomnium coelestedivine or oracular origins

Fro spot my spyryt ther sprang in space;My body on balke ther bod in sweven.My goste is gon in Godes graceIn aventure ther mervayles meven.Pearl, lines 61-64

Thagh kynde of Kryst me comfort kenned,My wreched wylle in wo ay wraghte.I felle upon that floury flaght,Suche odour to my hernes schot;I slode upon a slepyng-slaghteOn that precios perle wythouten spot.

Fro spot my spyryt ther sprang in space;My body on balke ther bod in sweven.My goste is gon in Godes graceIn aventure ther mervayles meven.Pearl, lines 55-64

Can I not seyn if that the cause wereFor I hadde red of Affrican byfornThat made me to mete that he stod there;. . . .

Cytherea, thow blysful lady swete,That with thy fyrbrond dauntest whom the lestAnd madest me this sweven for to mete,Be thow myn helpe in this, for thow mayst best!As wisly as I sey the north-north-west,Whan I began my sweven for to write,So yif me myght to ryme, and endyte!

LEGAL PROCEDURE FOR THE BIRDS

Judicial and legal language

dom (judgement), audyence, statut, governaunce, ordenaunce, pletynge (pleading), parti, preve (prove/proof), verdit, conseyl, pleyn eleccioun, diffyne, termyne (determine)

LEGAL PROCEDURE FOR THE BIRDS

Language of social status

royal tersel, gentyl, tiraunt, lowere kynde

Kek kek! kokkow! quek! quek!

Ye, have the glotoun fild inow his paunche,Thanne are we wel! seyde the merlioun

So I, quod he, may have my make in pes,I reche nat how longe that ye stryve.Lat ech of hem be soleyn al here lyve!

The goos seyde, Al this nys not worth a flye!But I can shape herof a remedie,And I wol seye my verdit fayre and swytheFor water-foul, whoso be wroth or blythe!

And I for worm-foul, seyde the fol kokkow,For I wol of myn owene autorite,For comune spede, take on the charge now,For to delyvere us is gret charite.