Ort : Venice
Veranstaltungsort : Venice International University, Venice/San Servolo
Veranstalter : Claudia Wittig (PhD Fellow), Centre for Medieval Literature, University of Southern Denmark; PD Dr. Norbert Kössinger, Universität Konstanz, Fachbereich Literaturwissenschaften
Datum : 04.06.2015 – 06.06.2015

Kontakt :
Claudia Wittig
Centre for Medieval Literature, Campusvej 22, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
+45 6550 4617
cw@sdu.dk

It has become a common place that all medieval literature is in its essence didactic. The Horatian notion of prodesse et delectare (to be usefull and delightful) was extremely influential in the production of texts in many genres and languages. But instruction did not remain a side aspect of literature. A broad range of literary texts were explicitly didactic in their pretention and textual intention. Not only the transmission of Christian values and classical sententiae but also practical knowledge was conveyed in various forms of writing.

As vernacular languages were (increasingly or for the first time) used in writing, some of the earliest texts are produced for educational purposes, often as translations or adaptations of Latin sources but also as original works. Parallel to these developments Latin continues to be the major language of instruction.

The intention of the conference is to open a space for a closer look on the various forms of didactic literature produced in Europe in the High Middle Ages. “Didactic literature” shall comprise all literary works that have instruction as a systematic principle of composition. It will be asked:

• Is there a (sub-)“genre” of didactic literature? Or are certain genres more likely used for instruction?
• Which literary forms are employed for instruction? Which textual models are adapted and how?
• What are the contents transmitted?
• How do the forms and contents differ in the various languages and which socio-cultural circumstances influence these differences?
• Which rhetorical and pedagogical strategies are employed to achieve the didactic purpose?
• Who are authors and audiences of such texts? What are possible modes and occasions of reception?
• What is the role of Latin didactic literature from Antiquity and the Middle Ages?
• Is there a contemporary theoretical discourse and in which circles is it held?

Invited are all papers that deal with didactic literature in a European vernacular langue or Latin, or are concerned with the theoretical framework. Papers should be ca. 30 minutes and can be held in English or German.

A publication of the conference proceedings is intended.

Sponsor: Centre for Medieval Literature (University of Southern Denmark/University of York)

Programme :

Thursday, June 4 2015

18:00 – 18:30 : Lars Boje Mortensen, Norbert Kössinger, Claudia Wittig – Welcome and Introduction
18:30-19:30 : Corrado Bologna, Rome – ‘Insegnare’ in poesia nell’Italia settentrionale

Friday, June 5 2015

Form and Function in Didactic Poetry

09:00-10:00 : Claudia Wittig, Odense – The discourse on nobility in 12th and 13th century moral-didactic poetry
10:00-10:30 : Coffee

10:30-11:30 : David Murray, London – Quotation, form, and didacticism: The Breviari d’Amour, Der Renner and Dante
11:30-12:30 : Thomas Haye, Göttingen – Darf man einen gesunden Zahn ziehen? Ein juristisches Lehrgedicht des Simon de Couvin
12:30-14:00 : Lunch

Translations and Applications of the Secretum Secretorum

14:00-15:00 : Michele Campopiano, York – Teaching and Power: Aspects of Bacon’s edition of the ‘Secretum Secretorum’
15:00-16:00 : Helen Fulton, Bristol – The Middle Welsh version of ‘Secretum Secretorum’: Educating princes in medieval Wales
16:00-16:30 : Coffee

Didactic Potential of Narrative Literature

16:30-17:30 : Eckart Conrad Lutz, Fribourg – Höfische Formung. Zur Stimulierung von Lernprozessen im ‘Willehalm von Orlens’ Rudolf von Ems
17:30-18:30 : Nadine Holzmeier, Hagen – Libre de Evast E Blanquerna – Form and Function of Didacticism in a 13th Century Didactic Novel
18:30-19:30 : Michael Stolz, Bern – Una bella roba. Novellare als neues Erzählkonzept in Boccaccios ‘Decameron’
20:00 : Dinner

Saturday, June 6 2015

Strategies of Didacticism

09:00-10:00 : Carmen Cardelle de Hartmann, Zurich – Erleuchtung aus der Dunkelheit. Zur obscuritas in Lehrschriften des Frühmittelalters
10:00-10:30 : Coffee

10:30-11:30 : Lorenzo Fabiani, Rome – Il De conflictu vitiorum et virtutum di Giovanni Genesio Quaglia: una Psychomachia veneziana del Trecento e le sue fonti.
11:30-12:30 : Verio Santoro, Salerno – Die Aufwertung der alten germanischen Heldenepik im 16. Jahrhundert zwischen delectare und prodesse am Beispiel des ‘Liedes vom Hürnen Seyfried’
12:30-13:45 : Lunch

Performance and Imagery

13:45-14:45 : Sarah Bowden, London – Performing didacticism in Early Middle High German poetry
14:45-15:45 : Ernst Hellgardt, Munich – Thomasin von Zerclaere: Der Welsche Gast. Ein Durchgang durch den ersten Teil (Vers 141-1705) in Text und Bild.
15:45-16:15 : Coffee

16:15-17:15 : Stephan Müller, Vienna – Die Stimme des Lehrers. Textuelle Strategien didaktischer Literatur des Mittelalters
17:15-17:30 : Wrap-up session

Source : H-Soz-u-Kult