Writing history for an age of reform : Orderic Vitalis and the 'Historia ecclesiastica'
This thesis undertakes a sustained literary reading of the thirteen books of Orderic Vitalis' Historia ecclesiastica, in order to explore the relationship between his ideas of history writing and contemporary church reforms. Church reform is a neglected aspect of Orderic's ecclesiastical history writing, as previous studies of the Historia have focused on Anglo-Norman political history and, more recently, Benedictine monasticism. Thus, this thesis tests how far Orderic's Historia was a commentary on eleventh- and twelfth-century reforms, and their impact upon ordinary churchmen. By reading across all thirteen books of the Historia, this thesis develops new methodologies for navigating the text's scale, organic structure, and non-linear chronological development. These elements of the text present a serious challenge to modern research, problematising comparative analysis between Orderic's work and those of other Anglo-Norman history writers. This thesis aims to model new approaches in order to inform future comparative research. Each chapter examines a different kind of material, in order to explore Orderic's engagement with reform at multiple levels and navigate a different aspect of the text's methodological
Powles, Tom
Writing history for an age of reform : Orderic Vitalis and the 'Historia ecclesiastica'. This thesis undertakes a sustained literary reading of the thirteen books of Orderic Vitalis' Historia ecclesiastica, in order to explore the relationship between his ideas of history writing and contemporary church reforms. Church reform is a neglected aspect of Orderic's ecclesiastical history writing, as previous studies of the Historia have focused on Anglo-Norman political history and, more recently, Benedictine monasticism. Thus, this thesis tests how far Orderic's Historia was a commentary on eleventh- and twelfth-century reforms, and their impact upon ordinary churchmen. By reading across all thirteen books of the Historia, this thesis develops new methodologies for navigating the text's scale, organic structure, and non-linear chronological development. These elements of the text present a serious challenge to modern research, problematising comparative analysis between Orderic's work and those of other Anglo-Norman history writers. This thesis aims to model new approaches in order to inform future comparative research. Each chapter examines a different kind of material, in order to explore Orderic's engagement with reform at multiple levels and navigate a different aspect of the text's methodological
writing history age reform historia_ecclesiastica undertakes sustain literary_reading thirteen book historia_ecclesiastica order_explore relationship idea history write contemporary church reform church reform neglect aspect ecclesiastical_history writing previous_study historia focus anglo_norman political_history recently benedictine monasticism thus test far historia commentary eleventh twelfth_century reform impact_upon ordinary churchman read across thirteen book historia develop_new methodology navigate text scale organic structure non_linear chronological_development element text present serious_challenge modern problematising comparative_analysis work anglo_norman history writer aim model new_approach order inform future comparative research examines different_kind material order_explore engagement reform multiple_level navigate different_aspect text methodological