Dreams of the end : apocalypticism in fourteenth and fifteenth century English secular vision poems [thesis]

234 Pages·2005·5.57 MB·English

by  Lisa LeBlanc

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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
Dreams of the End: Apocalypticism in Fourteenth and Fifteenth Century
English Secular Vision Poems
A DISSERTATION
Submitted to the Faculty of the
Department of English
School of Arts and Sciences
Of The Catholic University of America
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
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Copyright
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By
Lisa LeBlanc
Washington, D. C.
2005
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UMI Number: 3191600
Copyright 2006 by
LeBlanc, Lisa
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Dreams of the End: Apocalypticism in Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Century English Secular Vision Poems
Lisa LeBlanc, Ph.D.
Director: Stephen Wright, Ph.D.
Secular dream vision poems derived from religious dream vision poems which were
apocalyptic in nature. Because of this, many elements of the apocalyptic remain in the
secular poems. While characteristics like images, topoi, characters and settings remain
constant throughout the dream vision genre, the central purpose of using the work for social
commentary breaks down in the later works because they are derived from secular works of
the thirteenth century instead of directly from the apocalyptic visions.
Chapter One of this study provides background to dream visions and apocalypticism.
First, the chapter looks at dream theory from ancient to medieval times as well as the
function of dreams and visions in both religious and secular works of the Middle Ages. The
next section of the chapter discusses the characteristics of apocalyptic literature as well as the
early apocalypses that influenced medieval literature. The chapter concludes by looking
briefly at works relevant to but outside the scope of this study.
Chapter two deals with the presence of apocalypticism in the dream visions of the
most important English poet of the Middle Ages, Geoffrey Chaucer. The study notes not
only the presence of apocalyptic characteristics in the poems, but also discusses the how
Chaucer has adapted the crisis-judgment-vindication pattern of apocalypticism in each of his
poems.
Chapter Three discusses the anonymous secular vision poems contemporary with
Chaucer. These works, Wynnere and Wastour, The Parlement of the Thre Ages, and Mum
and the Sothsegger, also use apocalyptic characteristics to emphasize the social
commentaries of their poems.
The final chapter looks at the vision poems of the late Middle Ages, specifically
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those by John Lydgate (1370-1450), James I of Scotland (1394-1437), William Dunbar (c.
1460-1520), and John Skelton (1460-1529). This chapter will demonstrate the breakdown of
the original apocalyptic purpose of dream visions as the poems move to personal, instead of
social, crises or ignore the crisis-judgment-vindication pattern altogether. It concludes by
speculating about the causes of the decline of the dream vision genre after the Middle Ages
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This dissertation by Lisa LeBlanc fulfills the dissertation requirement for the doctoral degree
in English approved by Stephen Wright, Ph.D., as Director, and by Sr. Anne O’Donnell,
Ph.D., and Joseph Sendry, Ph.D. as Readers.
Stephen Wright, Ph.D., Director
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Sr. Anne O’Donnell, Ph.D, Reader
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Joseph Sendry, Ph.D., Reader
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Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, Norman and Annette LeBlanc,
who offered so much support and encouragement throughout my life.
Thank you so much for everything you’ve given me.
iii
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Dream Visions and Apocalypses 1
Dream Visions 4
Apocalypse 13
Related Vision Works 30
Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius 30
Roman de la Rose 34
Guillaume Machaut and Jean Froissart 39
Dante’s Divina Commedia 45
Langland’s Piers Plowman 48
Pearl 53
Conclusion 56
Chapter 2 Chaucer’s Dream Vision Poems 66
Prologue to Legend of Good Women 11
Parliament of Fowls 82
Book of the Duchess 88
House of Fame 102
Conclusion 117
Chapter 3 The Anonymous Vision Poems 119
Wynnere and Wastoure 119
The Parlement of the Thre Ages 130
Mum and the Sothsegger 142
Conclusion 164
Chapter 4 The Late Middle Ages and the End of the Dreams 166
John Lydgate 167
Kingis Quair 175
William Dunbar 187
Golden Targe 187
The Thrissil and the Rois 193
Ane Ballat of the Fen3eit Freir of Tungland How he fell in the
Myre fleand to Turkiland and The Antichrist 198
John Skelton 202
Conclusion 207
The End of the Visions 208
Appendix: Dream Theories 211
Works Cited 212
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List of Illustrations
Fig. 1 The woman clothed in the sun. The seven headed beast and the faithful.
Miniature from an Apocalypse for Queen Eleanor, about 1242-1250,
Cambridge, Trinity College. 57
Fig. 2 Christ enthroned and souls sent to hell. Miniature from an Apocalypse for
Queen Eleanor, about 1242-1250, Cambridge, Trinity College. 57
Fig. 3 The woman clothed with the sun pursued by the seven headed dragon.
Miniature from an Apocalypse for Queen Eleanor, about 1242-1250,
Cambridge, Trinity College. 58
Fig. 4 The angel shows John the 144,000 people of Israel. Miniature from an
Apocalypse for Queen Eleanor, about 1242-1250, Cambridge, Trinity College. 58
Fig. 5 St. John with the angel and the seven thunders, and St. John eating the
book given him by the angel. Miniature from an Apocalypse for Queen
Eleanor, about 1242-1250, Cambridge, Trinity College. 59
Fig. 6 An angel aids the woman clothed with the sun while her descendents
fight the dragon. Miniature from an Apocalypse for Queen Eleanor,
about 1242-1250, Cambridge, Trinity College. 59
Fig. 7 St. John observes the Lamb with the Book of Life, and the angel giving the
faithful the white robes of paradise. Miniature from an Apocalypse for
Edward I, 13 th century, Oxford, Bodleian Library. 60
Fig. 8 St. John observes the Lamb surrounded by the elect. Miniature from an
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Apocalypse for Edward I, 13 century, Oxford, Bodleian Library. 61
Fig. 9 The seven angels with the seven trumpets. Miniature from an Apocalypse
for Edward I, 13 century, Oxford, Bodleian Library. 62
Fig. 10 The angel throwing the millstone into the sea. Miniature from an
Apocalypse for Edward I, 13th century, Oxford, Bodleian Library. 63
Fig. 11 St. John weeps bitterly and the elder comforts him. Detail of east
window of York Cathedral. 63
Fig. 12 St. John sees the seven churches of Asia. Detail of east window of
York Cathedral. 64
Fig. 13 East window of York Cathedral 64
Fig. 14 Images of hell. Detail of west window in Cathedral at Fairford,
Gloucestershire. 65
Fig. 15 Souls damned to hell. Detail of west window in Cathedral at
Fairford, Gloucestershire. 65
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