Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Imitatio Mariae: Mary, Medieval Readers and Conceiving the Word
- 2 Performing the Psalms: The Annunciation in the Anchorhold
- 3 Reading the Prophecies: Meditation and Female Literacy in Lives of Christ Texts
- 4 Writing the Book: The Annunciations of Visionary Women
- 5 Imagining the Book: Of Three Workings in Man's Soul and Books of Hours
- 6 Inhabiting the Annunciation: The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and the Pynson Ballad
- Coda: Mary and Her Book at the Reformation
- Acknowledgements
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Imagining the Book: Of Three Workings in Man's Soul and Books of Hours
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 August 2020
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Imitatio Mariae: Mary, Medieval Readers and Conceiving the Word
- 2 Performing the Psalms: The Annunciation in the Anchorhold
- 3 Reading the Prophecies: Meditation and Female Literacy in Lives of Christ Texts
- 4 Writing the Book: The Annunciations of Visionary Women
- 5 Imagining the Book: Of Three Workings in Man's Soul and Books of Hours
- 6 Inhabiting the Annunciation: The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and the Pynson Ballad
- Coda: Mary and Her Book at the Reformation
- Acknowledgements
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The Annunciation has always been a story of suspense. In the pacing of most narrative tellings like the ones we have examined so far, the author may briefly describe what Mary is doing before Gabriel's arrival, before moving on to the real action – their conversation and the Incarnation itself. Bernard of Clairvaux introduced the tradition of dramatic suspense in the moment between Gabriel's final words, ‘quia non erit impossibile apud Deum omne verbum’ (because no word shall be impossible with God), and Mary’s acquiescent acceptance, ‘Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum’ (Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word) (Luke 2:37–8), the whole event's climax. His Sermon IV Super missus est addresses the Virgin directly:
Exspectat angelus responsum … Hoc totus mundus tuis genibus provolutus exspectat. Nec immerito quando ex ore tuo pendet consolatio miserorum, redemptio captivorum, liberatio damnatorum: salus denique universorum filiorum Adam, totius generis tui. Da, Virgo, responsum festinanter. O Domina, responde verbum, quod terra, quod inferi, quod exspectant et superi.
(The angel is waiting for your reply … For the whole world is waiting, bowed down at your feet. And rightly so, because on your answer depends the comfort of the afflicted, the redemption of captives, the deliverance of the damned; the salvation of all the sons of Adam, your whole race. Give your answer quickly, Virgin. My lady, say this word which earth and hell and heaven are waiting for.)
Bernard elaborates at length on – and thus himself effectively extends – this expectant pause. It can only be resolved by the free will of Mary to accept that ‘tu es cui hoc promissum est’ (you are the one who was promised) in the prophecies, and he implores her to ‘responde verbum, et suscipe Verbum: profer tuum, et concipe divinum’ (say the word and receive the Word: give yours and conceive God’s). Her ‘Ecce’ relieves the wait and ensures Christendom’s salvation.
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- The Virgin Mary's Book at the AnnunciationReading, Interpretation, and Devotion in Medieval England, pp. 175 - 224Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2020