Reading In The Middle Age Essay

The pleasures and the power of reading are many and varied and from the time human beings have learnt to etch a line on any surface, the art of reading has taken root and for the most part become integral to society. Reading provides to its consumer the power of education and knowledge and even as this is one of the most important aspects of the knowledge oriented society of modern times, the importance of reading and its power in achieving social status was seen especially in the mediaeval period. Reading and books were for the most part confined to the powerful elite and religious institutions, where monks and adults engaged in reading the Scriptures and other allied materials. Reading was considered one of the most important part of religious …show more content…
It is interesting to note that most works of literature, both belonging to the religious and secular realm were for the most part written either by monks or by men who belonged to the aristocracy or were men of great wealth. The importance of reading in the Middle Ages can also be understood relative to the performance of the liturgy which was an important part of religious duties. The liturgy consisted of memorising and reciting text in Latin and also the recitation of the psalter, all part of religious services that were carried out in these places. These practices were also based upon a fixed regimen where certain texts were to be read on certain days and specific texts for feasts and other important days in the Christian calendar.
Reading was such an important aspect of religious life that specific rules were created for the purpose of reading, especially by St. Benedict for the members of his order. The lectio divina or the task of divine reading was set out in the rulebook used by the monks of the Benedictine order. “The Rule set aside a period of time each day for sacred reading which consisted of a combination of meditative reading and prayer” (Grotans 30) thereby making reading integral to