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Traveling Narratives: Aspects of Movement in the Western Middle Ages

Publish: March 30, 2023

Writer Profile

  • Satoko Tokunaga (Co-editor) (Tokunaga Satoko)

    Faculty of Letters Professor

    Satoko Tokunaga (Co-editor) (Tokunaga Satoko)

    Faculty of Letters Professor

  • Yufu Onuma (Co-editor) (Onuma Yufu)

    Other : Professor, Faculty of Letters, Doshisha University

    ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ alumni

    Yufu Onuma (Co-editor) (Onuma Yufu)

    Other : Professor, Faculty of Letters, Doshisha University

    ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ alumni

The cover of this book features a photograph of medieval stained glass depicting pilgrims heading to the holy site of Canterbury. The photo was taken at Canterbury Cathedral by Professor Takami Matsuda of the Faculty of Letters, ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡. Many readers will likely recall Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" from the keywords "Canterbury," "pilgrimage," and "Middle Ages." This work is written in the form of a frame story in which pilgrims of different professions and social statuses share stories while traveling toward Canterbury, and it encompasses all genres representative of Western medieval literature.

Would it be too presumptuous to overlay this collection of essays we have compiled with that travel narrative? The 15 contributors are all travelers in medieval studies who, like a group heading toward a holy site, moved forward with the common goal of publishing a commemorative collection to celebrate the achievements of Professor Matsuda, who retired at the end of March 2023. Professor Matsuda, who has led medieval studies for many years, has discussed medieval European literature from a broad and interdisciplinary perspective. His publications and papers are countless, including "Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales': Adventures in Genre" (ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Press, 2019) from the "One Book to Decipher the World" series, which he himself founded. This collection was compiled with contributions from his students and colleagues, using "travel"¡ªa theme important to the professor¡ªas a common axis.

It may not be widely known that Europe from the Middle Ages to the early modern period was a fluid society formed by various types of "movement." Furthermore, the target of literary research in this era includes not only literary works in the narrow sense but also diverse texts such as sermons, religious books, and practical manuals; its scope is broadly defined and its boundaries are flexible. The purpose of this book as a "journey" is to delve into the nature of this fluidity and diversity that characterized European society from the late Middle Ages to the early modern period, through the analysis of discourses on "travel" depicted in text and visual representation, as well as the analysis of traveling ideas and concepts. We hope that through this publication, the charm of the medieval world will reach as many readers as possible. After all, since ancient times, it has been books that have carried the accumulation and dissemination of experiences brought about by travel.

Satoko Tokunaga (Co-editor), Yufu Onuma (Co-editor)

Chisen Shokan

310 pages, 4,950 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.

Writing Notes