Re-Reading Margery Kempe in the 21 st Century

This work provides an analysis of The Book of Margery Kempe and the figure of Margery Kempe herself, with a specific focus on contemporary critical re-readings as well as creative re-writings. The author re-reads the text making reference to recent theoretical conceptualizations and taking into consideration the figure of Margery Kempe as mystic, preacher and pilgrim. This book looks into the multiple layers of interpretation that this autobiography from the 15th century allows today, highlighting the importance of The Book of Margery Kempe as the first English autobiography, unique surviving example of travel text by a female pilgrim, and socio-historical document. At the same time, the author questions the complex identity conflicts which emerge in Margery Kempe's challenge of traditional social norms. She takes her analysis one step further by reading the text in the light of new critical approaches and by taking into exam the 1985 radio play The True Tale of Margery Kempe by contemporary Anglo-German novelist Eva Figes.

Autorentext

Valentina Castagna is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Palermo. She was Visiting PhD Student at Birkbeck College, London, in 2005 and was awarded her PhD in 2007 (University of Salerno). Among her books are Shape-Shifting Tales: Michèle Roberts's Monstrous Women (2010), Corpi a pezzi (2007) and the Italian critical edition of Marina Warner's Brigit's Cell (2010). She has published articles in national and international journals.

Klappentext

This work provides an analysis of The Book of Margery Kempe and the figure of Margery Kempe herself, with a specific focus on contemporary critical re-readings as well as creative re-writings. The author re-reads the text making reference to recent theoretical conceptualizations and taking into consideration the figure of Margery Kempe as mystic, preacher and pilgrim. This book looks into the multiple layers of interpretation that this autobiography from the 15th century allows today, highlighting the importance of The Book of Margery Kempe as the first English autobiography, unique surviving example of travel text by a female pilgrim, and socio-historical document. At the same time, the author questions the complex identity conflicts which emerge in Margery Kempe's challenge of traditional social norms. She takes her analysis one step further by reading the text in the light of new critical approaches and by taking into exam the 1985 radio play The True Tale of Margery Kempe by contemporary Anglo-German novelist Eva Figes.

Inhalt

Contents: New Perspectives on The Book of Margery Kempe - Autobiography and Mystic Text - Travels of/on Her Own - Abjection and the Body - A Contemporary Re-Writing: Eva Figes's The True Tale of Margery Kempe.