| Paper 1514-a | Ælfric's Colloquy and the Anglo-Saxon Fishery
(Language: English)
Todd Preston, Department of English, Lycoming College, Williamsport
Index terms: Daily Life, Economics - General, Language and Literature - Old English, Maritime and Naval Studies |
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| Abstract | Paper -a:
Ælfric's Colloquy (c. 995) provides insight into Anglo-Saxon notions regarding the relative value of natural resources. Specifically, an examination of the Old English gloss of the 'fisherman' dialogue in the Colloquy (lines 86-122) reveals a hierarchy of valuation based on a comingling of market and social factors, from the basic availability and monetary value of a given species to its reflection of social status. Reading this section of the Colloquy in the context of the documentary and archaeological records, as well as current ecological literature, illuminates how Anglo-Saxons determined the comparative worth of their natural resources.
Paper -b:
This paper will explore the ways in which Ælfric deals with greed and avarice in his collections of Catholic Homilies. Particular attention will be devoted to two texts of the second series, the sermons for Midlent Sunday and for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost; the former contains an exposition on capital sins and their progeny, followed by the virtues that counterbalance such vices, whereas the latter presents a hortatory discourse on the transience of worldly possessions. Other effective representations of avarice and greed will also be taken into account, such as the one offered by the sermon for Tuesday in Rogationtide. The ultimate aim of this paper is to bring together Ælfric's reflections on greed and avarice to see if the presentation of these sins has evolved in his homiletic collection, and if perhaps different types of audiences (lay vs. ecclesiastical), or different liturgical occasions might have prompted a different attitude towards the presentation of the vices.
Paper -c:
Even though Ælfric wrote his homilies in the vernacular, he occasionally includes quotations in Latin. The presence of these Latin lines presents a puzzle that has hitherto not been explored. In this paper, I suggest that the use of Latin can be explained by viewing the homilies through the lens of the Latin liturgical cycle. Having demonstrated the significance of the liturgical context for Ælfric's writings, I offer a rationale for Ælfric's selection of material from his sources. Finally, I consider how an awareness of the liturgy helps us understand the wider function of these texts within Ælfric's educative programme.
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