"John the Baptist’s Prayer" or "The Descent into Hell" from the Exeter Book: Text, Translation and Critical Study

Description

The Old English poem known popularly as the "Descent into Hell", found on folios 119v to 121v of the Exeter Book, has to date received little critical attention, perhaps owing to various contextual problems and lacunae on the leaves that contain it. This first full-length study offers a full account of the poem, together with an edition of the text and facing translation. It aims to resolve some of the poem's vexing issues and provides a variety of possible interpretations of the poem. The in-depth literary analysis seeks to enrich modern scholarly perceptions of the poem, suggest a more appropriate title, and contribute to continued scholarly discussion and analysis of the Exeter Book and its compilation. It provides a guide towards understanding the poem's main theme, presents the text in light of its position in ecclesiastical history, and sheds fresh light into its place and significance within the corpus of Old English poetry. List of Illustrations vi Acknowledgements vii Abbreviations ix Introduction 1 1. Paleography, Codicology and Language 11 2. The Descensus Motif 31 3. Literary Analysis 53 4. Selected Comparative Studies and Analogous Literature 104 Afterword 142 Text and Translation 145 Commentary 161 Appendix 1. The Doctrine of the Descensus according to Post-Apostolic and Medieval Commentators from the First Century to the End of the Eleventh Century 179 Appendix 2. Scriptural References 197 Appendix 3. Other Sources and Analogues 200 Appendix 4. Transcription and Images of fol. 120r 202 Glossary 211 Bibliography 225 Index 243