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-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [M-R] KALAMAZOO 2008: CFP - Drama/Performance in Old English Literature Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 06:16:48 +0100 From: Mary Rambaran-Olm <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] My apologies for cross-posting. Call for Papers: Kalamazoo 2008 . . . it's never too early to start thinking about the next conference!!! *Searching for Evidence of Drama and/or Performance in Old English Literature* Since there are seemingly obvious performative elements that can be referred to in literature from the Renaissance or, earlier still, when scholars draw examples from the Cycle or Mystery Plays of the Late Middle Ages, generally, there is little or no problem acknowledging that evidence of dramatic material existed and was evident in many forms, in Early Modern or Middle English texts. However, there is a tendency to gloss over literature from the Anglo-Saxon period, when critics reflect on performance and drama between the time after the glory days of the Roman theatre and before the Cycle and Mystery Plays flourished in the High to Late Middle Ages. The purpose of this session is to discuss dramatic evidence within Old English texts and/or innovative, theoretical approaches to search for dramatic literature within the Anglo-Saxon period. The fact is that many, earlier critics dismissed the idea that any evidence of drama in Old English texts existed. This traditional view to compare any potential evidence in Old English prose or poetry to literature from later periods, or by simply not searching for evidence of performance or dramatic literature within the Anglo-Saxon period has hindered our understanding of drama within the A-S period and our understanding of the development of drama, in general. Essentially, there is much evidence of drama and performance within Old English literature, and by not looking at dramatic texts within the Anglo-Saxon period on their own merits or within the context of understanding that dramatic literature contained prompters and signals within the texts that functioned to trigger audiences to participate and/or role-play, scholars are missing a critical area within medieval performance studies. This session will encourage scholars to evaluate and re-evaluate the language, themes, gestures and messages within Old English texts, which will allow for a better understanding of the development of performance and drama throughout the entire medieval period, and expand understanding of drama within the Anglo-Saxon period. Scholars at any level are welcome to submit abstracts or email me with any questions. Please send proposals (approx. 300 words) to me at: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> by September 15. Feel free to forward this message to your departments, organizations etc. All the best, Mary R. ----------------------------------------------------- Mary Rambaran-Olm PhD Candidate, Department of English Language, University of Glasgow, 12 University Gardens GLASGOW, G12 8QQ www.dreamofrood.co.uk <http://www.dreamofrood.co.uk> ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html -- Abigail Ann Young (Dr), Associate Editor/ Records of Early English Drama/ Victoria College/ 150 Charles Street W/ Toronto Ontario Canada Phone (416) 585-4504/ FAX (416) 813-4093/ [log in to unmask] List-owner of REED-L <http://www.reed.utoronto.ca/reed-l.html> http://www.reed.utoronto.ca/ => REED's home page http://www.reed.utoronto.ca/stage.html => our Web guide http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~young => my home page