My dissertation is about a medieval manuscript that lives in the British Library--the largest library in the world that just happens to be half an hour away from my dorm. With the oh-so-descriptive marker Stowe MS 17 (because it used to be in a house called Stowe House), the manuscript is a Book of Hours, that is, a personal book of prayers used by medieval lay people throughout the day. Stowe 17 belonged to an aristocratic woman who appears many times in the pages of her own manuscript.
My dissertation in about the way female viewership affected the way the manuscript was made.
A few weeks ago, after lots of persuading, I got to go see the book in person. It's very small, fitting snuggly in the palms of my hand just like it probably would have for its original medieval owner. What an amazing feeling, to hold a 700 year old book that I've been studying for months. It's filled with a sorts of funny marginal images to puzzle over too.
In the front are pilgrim badges, where someone sewed in proof of their journeys to holy sights--sound familiar? :) Only their imprints remain now, but originally they would've looked something like this:
So there's a little peek into my day in and day out research! The paper is due in June 9th, and here's hoping I get it done in time.
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