Medieval Beginnings: Middle English Lyrics

<p>From the first recorded instance of the word ‘fart’ in English, to nuanced vignettes of sexual power dynamics, the numerous Middle English lyrics that have survived down the centuries, often scribbled in the margins of more ‘serious’ texts, offer a vivid snapshot of everyday medieval life. In the tenth episode of <em>Medieval Beginings</em>, Irina and Mary analyse several of these short, fleeting verses, probably set to music, and consider their possible origins and purpose, their delicious ambiguity, and their equivocal relationship to the sacred manuscripts in which they've been found.</p><br><p>Non-subscribers will only hear an extract from this episode. To listen in full and to our other <em>Close Readings</em> series, sign up here:</p><p>Directly in Apple Podcasts at the top of this feed, or here: <a href="https://apple.co/3pJoFPq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apple.co/3pJoFPq</a></p><p>In other podcast apps: <a href="https://lrb.me/mbsignuppod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lrb.me/closereadings</a></p><br><p>Further reading in the <em>LRB</em>: <a href="https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v28/n10/barbara-newman/i-was-such-a-lovely-girl" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v28/n10/barbara-newman/i-was-such-a-lovely-girl</a></p><br><p>Listen to 'Sumer is icumen in' sung by The Hilliard Ensemble: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMCA9nYnLWo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMCA9nYnLWo</a></p><br><p>Some of the lyrics discussed in this episode can be found online:</p><br><p>Sumer is icumen in:</p><br><p><a href="https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/cuckou.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/cuckou.php</a></p><br><p>I Have a Yong Suster</p><br><p><a href="https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/suster.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/suster.php</a></p><br><p>Maiden in the mor</p><br><p><a href="https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/maideninthemoor.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medlyric/maideninthemoor.php</a></p><br><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_in_the_mor_lay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_in_the_mor_lay</a></p><br><p>I have a gentil cock</p><br><p><a href="https://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/content/i-have-gentil-cook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/content/i-have-gentil-cook</a></p><br><p>Irina Dumitrescu is Professor of English Medieval Studies at the University of Bonn and Mary Wellesley as a historian and author of <em>Hidden Hands: The Lives of Manuscripts and their Makers.</em></p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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