Jerry Root Knihy

The confessional practice that develops after the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 makes possible a new cultural and literary discourse of the self. This book explores the impact of confessional discourse on fourteenth-century European literature. The approach is interdisciplinary. The author studies examples of the «confessional» texts of Augustine and Abelard as well as the vernacular didactic literature on confession after 1215. This literature creates a new and more popular language of the self. The literary texts of Chaucer, Machaut, and Juan Ruiz clearly demonstrate the influence of a confessional «self» and use the language of confession to explore and construct the self as literary subject.

Several years before he converted to Christianity, C. S. Lewis published a narrative poem, Dymer, which not only sheds light on the development of his literary skills but also offers a glimpse of his intellectual and spiritual growth. Including the complete annotated text of Lewis's poem, this volume helps us understand both Lewis's change of mind and our own journeys of faith.

The legend of Theophilus narrates the journey of a pious clerk who, after making a pact with the Devil, seeks redemption through the Virgin Mary. This transformation from sinner to saint is explored through various artistic mediums, including texts and manuscript illuminations. The author examines the social and cultural contexts of the legend, highlighting its reflection on medieval concerns about salvation and identity. The work emphasizes the significance of images in shaping medieval perceptions of faith and the interplay between the material and spiritual realms.