Right! A very practical and down to earth question, which, IMHO,
is all too often not asked about medieval texts in general and hagiography in
particular.
Henk
Van: medieval-religion -
Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Namens Pat McIntosh-Spinnler
Verzonden: vrijdag 23 oktober 2009 22:12
Aan: [log in to unmask]
Onderwerp: Re: [M-R] Medieval lighting [Jerome]
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion
and culture
I think "wode" and "wood" are
interchangeable. Surely Malory uses "stark wood" on more than one
occasion? The story has many improbabilities, and the ecclesiastical
dress of either period concerned isn't a topic I have studied. However there
have been many eras in which male and female costume are very similar,
distinguished by details we would see as subtle to the point of invisibility.
Garments might be the same shape but of different preferred colours, or
fastened in different ways, or with embroidery round the hem (that's one of
the most likely giveaways in this case.) What puzzles me is how on earth
Jerome managed to dress in someone else's clothes without noticing he was
doing so, even in the dark. Surely they must have felt different, or even
smelled wrong? Pat McIntosh-Spinnler |