IMC 2008: Sessions
Session 1008: Desperately Seeking the 'First Person' Narrative, I: Legal Narratives
Wednesday 9 July 2008, 09.00-10.30
Sponsor: | Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York |
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Organiser: | Jeremy Goldberg, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York |
Moderator/Chair: | Katherine J. Lewis, Department of History, University of Huddersfield |
Paper 1008-a | Parliamentary Petitions (Language: English) Index terms: Administration, Daily Life, Mentalities, Social History |
Paper 1008-b | Chancery Petitions (Language: English) Index terms: Daily Life, Gender Studies, Mentalities, Social History |
Paper 1008-c | Church Court Depositions (Language: English) Index terms: Daily Life, Gender Studies, Mentalities, Social History |
Abstract | A variety of sources - depositions, letters, petitions, wills, even tombs - purport to represent the voices or perspectives of medieval people and from a wide social range. Although comparatively few are actually presented in the first person - indeed many are in fact third-person narratives - they could be seen to constitute forms of life-writing or ego-narratives. The purpose of these sessions is to interrogate these sources and determine how far they do in fact throw light on real people and actual experiences and to test just how elusive is self identity before the Renaissance. |