Contemporary theories of performativity are applied to medieval materials in this collection of essays by colleagues at Somerville College, Oxford. Over lunches and faculty discussions, the
authors noted similarities regarding the performative aspect of their particular interests. Articles range from the ritual performance of penitential psalms to the insertion and recreation of
the author in poetry, courtly literature and music. Variations in expressions of performativity among languages are also explored through Dante's Italian, Church Slavonic and translations from
French and Italian into German. The performance of parliamentary debates is also discussed, highlighting the tension between oral and written culture that is at the heart of the study of
historical performativity. Annotation 穢2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
