Knowledge and Misconception in Disciplina Clericalis Cover Image

Познание и заблуда в Disciplina Clericalis
Knowledge and Misconception in Disciplina Clericalis

Author(s): Elina Boeva
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Other Language Literature, Philology
Published by: Софийски университет »Св. Климент Охридски«
Keywords: Medieval literature; Petrus Alfonsi; Disciplina clericalis; wisdom; deceit; knowlegde;

Summary/Abstract: Gaining wisdom and better knowledge of the world is the central theme for Disciplina clericalis, A book by the Medieval Iberian author Petrus Alfonsi. Petrus Alfonsi was an Andalusi Jew, who converted to Christianity in the beginning of XIIth century. The unconventional narrative of Disciplina clericalis includes dialogues, proverbs, castigations and more than thirty-four individual stories. Through them the author constructs the complex image of the „multiform Wisdom“ and, in the same time, the image of the universal sage, who has attained this wisdom. The structure of Disciplina clericalis is skillfully balanced and beyond the seemingly chaotic theme organisation one can see the careful order, which shows the author’s main concept. Though the didactic purpose of the book is declared by the author in the book’s prologue, the stories, which Alfonsi includes in it often seem too secular and with doubtful paedagogic use. A closer reading of the variative stories and parables shows an unifying element - the overcoming of the earthly deceits is the „litmus“ that tests the attained knowlegde. True wisdom allows the sage to see beyond the deceit and leads him to the right path, which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

  • Issue Year: 5/2019
  • Issue No: 1 (9)
  • Page Range: 63-72
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Bulgarian