In writing about writing, Trihemius sounds like he is reciting a sermon, but his stipulations, like "Printed books will never be the equivalent of handwritten codices, especially since printed books are often deficient in spelling an appearance" are not supported with any proof. Its just a statement with hopes of sounding convincing in order to garner support.
Obviously, there is a problem here. Heralds, first off, are supposed to travel with news. They are messengers, and messengers move from one place to another. The physical locale of these monks prohibits this action somewhat. If they are locked in cells for hours upon hours, there is no going to and from and delivering news. There is simply copying.
Secondly, monks are responsible for keeping libraries, yes, but aren't they responsible for getting the Word (as in the Bible) out there as well? Being in a room copying a book prevents this from really taking place. I know that somewhere in the Bible there is a passage saying something along the lines of "proclaim the Lord's name so that all nations may hear it." Or something like that. If a monk is supposed to be hidden away, how then can he do this if he is so devout? They are supposed to followers of Jesus, who walked for miles around the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, teaching and preaching, but instead JT insists on keeping hands busy with a recluse-like lifestyle to prevent any wrong from happening.
Experiences make humans grow and understand what is going on around them. That is what Jesus did - the one who these monks are supposed to follow - yet they do the exact opposite. Does it make sense? Not really.
I don't know Anthony...your argument sounds a little "one-sided"...
ReplyDelete...psych...
...I'm just joking...you raise a good point about ONE of the problems with locking these young monks (or as you say "Heralds") away in these rooms--and as I stated in my broadside, isn't it deliciously ironic that these rooms were called "cells"?
But, I think your point seems to support my point that, perhaps Trithemius was really only concerned with the control of whims and tendencies and proclivities that are nearly impossible to control...perhaps...eh?
I have to agree that the article seemed to have more to do with controlling unruly monks than...making any sense. If "JT" was really mostly concerned with proving that writing is holy, his arguments would have probably been more thought out. It seemed sort of like John Smith's pamphlet "A Description of New England," if you've ever read that. (I think that's what it is called anyways.)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love how you call him "JT."
I'm not sure I agree that the monks cannot be heralds from their cells. Because of them, religious books could circulate the message of Christianity--a form of virtual messenger service, if you will. The use of writing to take over this previously oral, ceremonial operation is interesting to me, and perhaps explains why the Bibles and other documents were so well (and often expensively!) decorated. They were serving a highly ritualized function. According to the OED, references to "herald" in English in this period are all to the royal "announcer." Imagine that herald with his horn and flags...but in this case, those are supplanted by gold leaf and calligraphy, calling attention to form as much as content. This seems to imply that the text's structural position as "voice of God" is more important than content, especially in a semi-literate world.
ReplyDeleteIn this context, we might expect the monk becomes the _invisible_ transmitter...except that Trithemius is careful to highlight how important this job is--to praise not just the monk's obedience (as many posts have acknowledged and as we discussed in class) but the educational possibilities, contemplative opportunities and religious devotion afforded by and through the act of copying.
As for an understanding of the role of writing in a cell vs. the act of physically walking around to spread the Word...that would take a cultural history of monastic life and medieval Christianity...way beyond this course's scope--and my own knowledge!
I understand your point, and mostly agree with it. You're right, sitting in a room and writing the same thing over and over again does seem to be a bit useless in the heralding department. But consider this: just the simple fact that there was another copy made is "spreading the word" as far as these monks were concerned. Also, as i addressed in my blog, the use of their physical body as well as their mental focus was a form of prayer as well, becasue they focused all of their available energy on the one topic of "gods word".
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the Trimethius article, I could not help but think that if I was a monk who was copies scriptures in a cold, dark cell day in and day out and did so because I had to, and not because I had "the calling" to do so, I really would come to resent "the Lord's work" which I had to do, and being a monk, that really would be counter-productive.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the argument that Trimethius puts forth may have convinced the monks to do what he wanted and so as they were told, I doubt that he was able to control the thoughts of the monks. Perhaps while the monks were copying the scriptures, they were having thoughts about those "unchecked liberties" of which Trithemius was so fond.