The Bible of the Poor

Biblia Pauperum

Format

• Block book: “Transitional form of publication between the production of manuscripts by hand and the printing of books by movable type.”

• Triptych: 2 Old Testament, 1 New Testament

• Illustrations, biblical texts, and commentary

Poor men?

• Written in Latin, not vernacular

• Used by clergy as teaching tool for poor?

• Mendicants

For love of lentils…• We read in Genesis, chapter 25, that Esau after the pottage which his brother Jacob made sold

his birthright, that is, the honor which is due to the firstborn, and lost the blessing of his father. Thus the devil deceived the first parents through gluttony and pride, saying: "Whatsoever day you eat (thereof) ... you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

• We read in Genesis, chapter 3, that Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent, who tempted them with gluttony, for the devil seduces as an instrument, by deceiving. Which well figured the temptation which the devil offered Christ when he tempted Christ, saying: "If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Which temptation suggest gluttony.

• From left to right in Biblia Pauperum: Jacob and Esau, story of sold birthright; Temptation of Jesus; Temptation of Adam and Eve

The Biblia pauperum, Its Place in the Historical Context

of Medieval Orality and Literacy, and Its Relationship

to Drama

The Biblia pauperum as Silent Drama (Brantley and Nellhaus)

I. Orality and literacy in late medieval times

II. How oral and literate traditions function in the Biblia pauperum

III. How oral and literate traditions function in medieval drama

IV. The “Closet-drama” of the Biblia pauperum and other hermeneutical texts

Nellhaus

(1)The Semiotic Chain

(2)Textual Memory

(3)Validation

(4)The Persistence of Orality

(“Mementos of Things to Come,” pp. 300-304)

Sources• Images• http://demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/basic/medieval/story/mendicant.htm• http://www.amasis.com/biblia/ibp/index.html• http://www.biblen.info/Galleri/stjerne-pauperum.htm• http://www.aboutbookbinding.com/images/Page_frosm_Biblia_Pauperum.gif• http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0003/bsb00038196/images/bsb00038196_00001.jpg• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Duccio_-_The_Temptation_on_the_Mount.jpg

• Text• “The Bible of the Poor”, translation and commentary by Albert C. Labriola and John W. Smeltz• http://www.amasis.com/biblia/ibp/index.html