Konnor Drewen
5/3/011
Why is it so important to understand manuscripts if one is to really understand the culture of the Middle Ages?
Manuscripts are highly important when understanding the Middle Ages. They were the new form of document that allowed knowledge to be passed throughout time. Knowing this, it does not surprise that some of the ancient manuscripts were of massive size (Fig. 1). The manuscripts were created to replace the old form of using papyrus as paper. The texts were just as important then as they are now to historians that study the Middle Ages. Throughout time, people have learned that knowledge is the key to enlightenment; manuscripts are the keepers of knowledge and therefore, enlightenment.
''The world is bad enough with the bible; what would it be without it” (Franklin). Benjamin Franklin said this quote when asked to read the manuscript The Age of Reason. This quote asks what would the world be without a bible but it also asks the question, what the world would be like without any important manuscripts. The bible and other religious manuscripts can cause such controversy in society, but that controversy shaped the world we live in today. The manuscripts in the Middle Ages must have had the same effect as other texts throughout time. In the Middle Ages, these helped people through the darkness of ignorance and into enlightenment.
“Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts / the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art” (Ruskin). This quote demonstrates the power in manuscripts. They can tell a list of the actions of a civilization. They can also show their art history through the documents. In the Middle Ages they had great art and it was passed not only though paintings but through these documents.
“As a writer, you have control of the words you put on the page. But once that manuscript leaves your hand, you give control to the reader” (Meyer). This validates the thesis because the knowledge is in the hands of the reader. The reader can chose enlightenment if it is wanted. The reason this is important in understanding the Middle Ages is that the people of that time had many great ideas, but people did not chose enlightenment. The people of today do not listen to the knowledge of that time as much as they use to.
Manuscripts are the keepers of knowledge consequently they can lead to enlightenment. Manuscripts can be used to increase our knowledge in things we never understood. There are texts that teach some of the oldest sciences created (Fig. 2). The manuscripts can be used to pass not only words, but pictures also. Enlightenment is not just given to a person, it must be earned.
Appendix
Figure 1
Figure 2
Bibliography
Franklin, B. (n.d.). ''the world is bad enough with the bible; what would it be without it?''. Retrieved from http://www.tentmaker.org/Quotes/religionquotes.htm (Franklin)
Ruskin, J. (n.d.). “great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts / the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art.” . Retrieved from http://www.famouslifemottos.org/Nations.html (Ruskin)
Meyer, N. (n.d.). “as a writer, you have control of the words you put on the page. but once that manuscript leaves your hand, you give control to the reader.” . Retrieved from http://www.great-quotes.com/quote/1019055 (Meyer)
Unknown, (Photographer). (2007). Timbuktu-manuscripts-astronomy-tables.jpg. [Web]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timbuktu-manuscripts-astronomy-tables.jpg
Maňas, M. (Photographer). (2007). Codex gigas facsimile.jpg. [Web]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Codex_Gigas_facsimile.jpg
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