I am an associate professor of French at the University of Notre Dame. I work on the intersection of literature, politics, and religion in sixteenth-century France. My current research focuses on the image of the stranger and how its use––and the reaction to it––helped to form and shape French identity in the early modern period and beyond. Poets, authors, and polemicists took advantage of this particular image to incite a nascent xenophobia, but it was also an opportunity for solidarity or as a political tool to help define and refine cultural and religious identity. In addition, I maintain an interest in lyric poetry, namely that of Maurice Scève, Joachim Du Bellay and Pierre de Ronsard. Phone: +15746310460 Address: 343 O'Shaugnessy Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556
The Ten Commandments in Medieval and Early Modern Culture, 2017
“You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of t... more “You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of the Israelite experience wandering through the desert is the temptation toward idolatry. For the ancient Hebrews, it was a question of defending against syncretism. By contrast, in the early modern period, still steeped in the Catholic faith, man’s idolatrous gaze turns toward woman, asking, “What can she provide me that God cannot?" This is, of course, to ask the wrong question. Instead, a better question would be, “What can she provide me that God can?” The answer? Salvation. In her, man finds salvation for his love, even if it means damnation for his soul. The love poetry of the mid-sixteenth century often took this idolatrous turn, openly violating the first and presumably the most important of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, poets took advantage of imagery from the salvation history of the ancient Israelites to insist upon their potentially damning choice. To be saved is to be loved not by God, but by the lady, the object of their affection, the “Idole de ma vie” (“Idol of my life”). In this paper, I explore the theme of idolatry in lyric poetry, from its roots in Petrarch through Maurice Scève to Pierre de Ronsard, and how it is commonly understood and misunderstood. How could poets so flagrantly violate a central tenet of their faith and expect to escape God’s judgment? Whether a rhetorical flourish or a desperate prayer of supplication to a false god, I argue that this most fundamental transgression challenges our idea of what it meant to love and worship in the early modern period.
In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are al... more In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are all equal.’ This declaration of equality among the group of would‐be storytellers is a surprising one, but its meaning – and Marguerite's point – is unclear. Is this a nascent feminist statement, or is it a theological one about the status of human beings before their God? In this paper, I will explore how the Heptaméron's frame story, along with the content of the tales themselves, both reveal Marguerite's approach to the question of equality between the sexes. Reading the Heptaméron through the biblical and exegetical lens of the book of Genesis suggests that a truce in the battle of the sexes may be more a question of accepting hard realities rather than hoping that men and women can overcome divisions that go back to the Fall.
Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms i... more Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms in 1541, which in itself was not remarkable at the time. However, what distinguishes this collection is the dedicatory epistle that precedes it. Marot does more than flatter the king, to whom he dedicates his work, or introduce the text that follows. In this article, I argue that Marot composes a dedicatory epistle that, while following contemporary conventions of the genre, takes advantage of those conventions to accomplish a specific evangelical goal in a complex and sensitive religious and political environment. The text creates a typical exchange between patron and poet—the patron’s protection in return for the poet’s gift of the text—but Marot ultimately intends to bypass his patron and bestow a more profound gift upon the French people by way of this exchange, namely, to further a more evangelical scriptural approach and devotional practice.
The Politics of Print During the French Wars of Religion, 2020
In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circ... more In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circumstances while returning from Rome to Paris. Among his effects was allegedly an account of a meeting with the Pope that outlined a plot to overthrow Henry III, King of France, and to replace him with the Duke of Guise in order to ensure France's Catholic allegiance. Two versions of David's Mémoire were published soon after, and both attack the Guises in order to discredit them but on slightly different fronts: one focused on their internal threat, and the other, the threat posed by foreign powers looking to intervene in France's civil and religious disputes. In either case, David's papers and the texts published with them demonstrate through their rhetorical and editorial strategies the emerging and enduring power of the short printed text in the politics of this contentious era of French history.
In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are al... more In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are all equal.’ This declaration of equality among the group of would‐be storytellers is a surprising one, but its meaning – and Marguerite's point – is unclear. Is this a nascent feminist statement, or is it a theological one about the status of human beings before their God? In this paper, I will explore how the Heptaméron's frame story, along with the content of the tales themselves, both reveal Marguerite's approach to the question of equality between the sexes. Reading the Heptaméron through the biblical and exegetical lens of the book of Genesis suggests that a truce in the battle of the sexes may be more a question of accepting hard realities rather than hoping that men and women can overcome divisions that go back to the Fall.
In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circ... more In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circumstances while returning from Rome to Paris. Among his effects was allegedly an account of a meeting with the Pope that outlined a plot to overthrow Henry III, King of France, and to replace him with the Duke of Guise in order to ensure France's Catholic allegiance. Two versions of David's Mémoire were published soon after, and both attack the Guises in order to discredit them but on slightly different fronts: one focused on their internal threat, and the other, the threat posed by foreign powers looking to intervene in France's civil and religious disputes. In either case, David's papers and the texts published with them demonstrate through their rhetorical and editorial strategies the emerging and enduring power of the short printed text in the politics of this contentious era of French history.
Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms i... more Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms in 1541, which in itself was not remarkable at the time. However, what distinguishes this collection is the dedicatory epistle that precedes it. Marot does more than flatter the king, to whom he dedicates his work, or introduce the text that follows. In this article, I argue that Marot composes a dedicatory epistle that, while following contemporary conventions of the genre, takes advantage of those conventions to accomplish a specific evangelical goal in a complex and sensitive religious and political environment. The text creates a typical exchange between patron and poet—the patron’s protection in return for the poet’s gift of the text—but Marot ultimately intends to bypass his patron and bestow a more profound gift upon the French people by way of this exchange, namely, to further a more evangelical scriptural approach and devotional practice.
Intersections: The Ten Commandments in Medieval and Early Modern Culture, 2017
“You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of t... more “You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of the Israelite experience wandering through the desert is the temptation toward idolatry. For the ancient Hebrews, it was a question of defending against syncretism. By contrast, in the early modern period, still steeped in the Catholic faith, man’s idolatrous gaze turns toward woman, asking, “What can she provide me that God cannot?" This is, of course, to ask the wrong question. Instead, a better question would be, “What can she provide me that God can?” The answer? Salvation. In her, man finds salvation for his love, even if it means damnation for his soul. The love poetry of the mid-sixteenth century often took this idolatrous turn, openly violating the first and presumably the most important of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, poets took advantage of imagery from the salvation history of the ancient Israelites to insist upon their potentially damning choice. To be saved is to be loved not by God, but by the lady, the object of their affection, the “Idole de ma vie” (“Idol of my life”). In this paper, I explore the theme of idolatry in lyric poetry, from its roots in Petrarch through Maurice Scève to Pierre de Ronsard, and how it is commonly understood and misunderstood. How could poets so flagrantly violate a central tenet of their faith and expect to escape God’s judgment? Whether a rhetorical flourish or a desperate prayer of supplication to a false god, I argue that this most fundamental transgression challenges our idea of what it meant to love and worship in the early modern period.
“There is nothing that is said too soon.” So wrote Simon Goulart in 1578 in a letter that introdu... more “There is nothing that is said too soon.” So wrote Simon Goulart in 1578 in a letter that introduces his history of the reign of Charles IX (d. 1574). Goulart articulates a principle that could be the motto of the age and reflects a sudden awareness that this new medium of the printed text can control the terms of public discourse and can determine history, or at least one’s narrative of it. Getting the news out, regardless of how well it accurately represents what really happened, is of principal importance, lest one’s enemy get there first. This book, organized into six chapters, traces the development of this phenomenon from its origins in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Chapter One), outlines strategies that authors used to give texts an air of credibility, whether their content was true or not (Chapters Two, Three, and Four), and examines efforts both to take advantage of and combat this trend during the period of the French wars of religion (Chapters Five and Six). While this book primarily advances understanding of the dynamics of sixteenth-century political discourse, it has the potential to inform our approach to current problems of the reliability of discourse up through the present day.
Is the foreigner friend or foe? This interdisciplinary conference, with a special focus on litera... more Is the foreigner friend or foe? This interdisciplinary conference, with a special focus on literature, religion, theology, politics, and history, and their intersections, explores the reality of xenophobia and what role it played in medieval and early modern societies. This is more than a question of the "Other"; it is about examining the ambiguities of migration and cross-cultural exchange in daily life during a period of religious, political, and cultural upheaval within Europe and beyond. sites.nd.edu/strangers-and-neighbors-conference
All lodging expenses for paper presenters will be reimbursed. Some meals provided. Please send an... more All lodging expenses for paper presenters will be reimbursed. Some meals provided. Please send an abstract no longer than 200 words and an abbreviated CV to strangers@nd.edu before July 1, 2020. Decisions will be released on or before September 15, 2020. For more details on the conference, please visit sites.nd.edu/strangers-and-neighbors-conference/. Proposals by advanced graduate students will be considered.
The Ten Commandments in Medieval and Early Modern Culture, 2017
“You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of t... more “You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of the Israelite experience wandering through the desert is the temptation toward idolatry. For the ancient Hebrews, it was a question of defending against syncretism. By contrast, in the early modern period, still steeped in the Catholic faith, man’s idolatrous gaze turns toward woman, asking, “What can she provide me that God cannot?" This is, of course, to ask the wrong question. Instead, a better question would be, “What can she provide me that God can?” The answer? Salvation. In her, man finds salvation for his love, even if it means damnation for his soul. The love poetry of the mid-sixteenth century often took this idolatrous turn, openly violating the first and presumably the most important of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, poets took advantage of imagery from the salvation history of the ancient Israelites to insist upon their potentially damning choice. To be saved is to be loved not by God, but by the lady, the object of their affection, the “Idole de ma vie” (“Idol of my life”). In this paper, I explore the theme of idolatry in lyric poetry, from its roots in Petrarch through Maurice Scève to Pierre de Ronsard, and how it is commonly understood and misunderstood. How could poets so flagrantly violate a central tenet of their faith and expect to escape God’s judgment? Whether a rhetorical flourish or a desperate prayer of supplication to a false god, I argue that this most fundamental transgression challenges our idea of what it meant to love and worship in the early modern period.
In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are al... more In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are all equal.’ This declaration of equality among the group of would‐be storytellers is a surprising one, but its meaning – and Marguerite's point – is unclear. Is this a nascent feminist statement, or is it a theological one about the status of human beings before their God? In this paper, I will explore how the Heptaméron's frame story, along with the content of the tales themselves, both reveal Marguerite's approach to the question of equality between the sexes. Reading the Heptaméron through the biblical and exegetical lens of the book of Genesis suggests that a truce in the battle of the sexes may be more a question of accepting hard realities rather than hoping that men and women can overcome divisions that go back to the Fall.
Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms i... more Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms in 1541, which in itself was not remarkable at the time. However, what distinguishes this collection is the dedicatory epistle that precedes it. Marot does more than flatter the king, to whom he dedicates his work, or introduce the text that follows. In this article, I argue that Marot composes a dedicatory epistle that, while following contemporary conventions of the genre, takes advantage of those conventions to accomplish a specific evangelical goal in a complex and sensitive religious and political environment. The text creates a typical exchange between patron and poet—the patron’s protection in return for the poet’s gift of the text—but Marot ultimately intends to bypass his patron and bestow a more profound gift upon the French people by way of this exchange, namely, to further a more evangelical scriptural approach and devotional practice.
The Politics of Print During the French Wars of Religion, 2020
In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circ... more In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circumstances while returning from Rome to Paris. Among his effects was allegedly an account of a meeting with the Pope that outlined a plot to overthrow Henry III, King of France, and to replace him with the Duke of Guise in order to ensure France's Catholic allegiance. Two versions of David's Mémoire were published soon after, and both attack the Guises in order to discredit them but on slightly different fronts: one focused on their internal threat, and the other, the threat posed by foreign powers looking to intervene in France's civil and religious disputes. In either case, David's papers and the texts published with them demonstrate through their rhetorical and editorial strategies the emerging and enduring power of the short printed text in the politics of this contentious era of French history.
In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are al... more In the prologue to Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Hircan pronounces, ‘In the game, we are all equal.’ This declaration of equality among the group of would‐be storytellers is a surprising one, but its meaning – and Marguerite's point – is unclear. Is this a nascent feminist statement, or is it a theological one about the status of human beings before their God? In this paper, I will explore how the Heptaméron's frame story, along with the content of the tales themselves, both reveal Marguerite's approach to the question of equality between the sexes. Reading the Heptaméron through the biblical and exegetical lens of the book of Genesis suggests that a truce in the battle of the sexes may be more a question of accepting hard realities rather than hoping that men and women can overcome divisions that go back to the Fall.
In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circ... more In 1576, during the French wars of religion, the advocate, Jean David, died under mysterious circumstances while returning from Rome to Paris. Among his effects was allegedly an account of a meeting with the Pope that outlined a plot to overthrow Henry III, King of France, and to replace him with the Duke of Guise in order to ensure France's Catholic allegiance. Two versions of David's Mémoire were published soon after, and both attack the Guises in order to discredit them but on slightly different fronts: one focused on their internal threat, and the other, the threat posed by foreign powers looking to intervene in France's civil and religious disputes. In either case, David's papers and the texts published with them demonstrate through their rhetorical and editorial strategies the emerging and enduring power of the short printed text in the politics of this contentious era of French history.
Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms i... more Clément Marot, poet and evangelical sympathizer, published his own translation of thirty psalms in 1541, which in itself was not remarkable at the time. However, what distinguishes this collection is the dedicatory epistle that precedes it. Marot does more than flatter the king, to whom he dedicates his work, or introduce the text that follows. In this article, I argue that Marot composes a dedicatory epistle that, while following contemporary conventions of the genre, takes advantage of those conventions to accomplish a specific evangelical goal in a complex and sensitive religious and political environment. The text creates a typical exchange between patron and poet—the patron’s protection in return for the poet’s gift of the text—but Marot ultimately intends to bypass his patron and bestow a more profound gift upon the French people by way of this exchange, namely, to further a more evangelical scriptural approach and devotional practice.
Intersections: The Ten Commandments in Medieval and Early Modern Culture, 2017
“You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of t... more “You shall have no other gods before me...You shall not make yourself an idol.” At the heart of the Israelite experience wandering through the desert is the temptation toward idolatry. For the ancient Hebrews, it was a question of defending against syncretism. By contrast, in the early modern period, still steeped in the Catholic faith, man’s idolatrous gaze turns toward woman, asking, “What can she provide me that God cannot?" This is, of course, to ask the wrong question. Instead, a better question would be, “What can she provide me that God can?” The answer? Salvation. In her, man finds salvation for his love, even if it means damnation for his soul. The love poetry of the mid-sixteenth century often took this idolatrous turn, openly violating the first and presumably the most important of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, poets took advantage of imagery from the salvation history of the ancient Israelites to insist upon their potentially damning choice. To be saved is to be loved not by God, but by the lady, the object of their affection, the “Idole de ma vie” (“Idol of my life”). In this paper, I explore the theme of idolatry in lyric poetry, from its roots in Petrarch through Maurice Scève to Pierre de Ronsard, and how it is commonly understood and misunderstood. How could poets so flagrantly violate a central tenet of their faith and expect to escape God’s judgment? Whether a rhetorical flourish or a desperate prayer of supplication to a false god, I argue that this most fundamental transgression challenges our idea of what it meant to love and worship in the early modern period.
“There is nothing that is said too soon.” So wrote Simon Goulart in 1578 in a letter that introdu... more “There is nothing that is said too soon.” So wrote Simon Goulart in 1578 in a letter that introduces his history of the reign of Charles IX (d. 1574). Goulart articulates a principle that could be the motto of the age and reflects a sudden awareness that this new medium of the printed text can control the terms of public discourse and can determine history, or at least one’s narrative of it. Getting the news out, regardless of how well it accurately represents what really happened, is of principal importance, lest one’s enemy get there first. This book, organized into six chapters, traces the development of this phenomenon from its origins in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Chapter One), outlines strategies that authors used to give texts an air of credibility, whether their content was true or not (Chapters Two, Three, and Four), and examines efforts both to take advantage of and combat this trend during the period of the French wars of religion (Chapters Five and Six). While this book primarily advances understanding of the dynamics of sixteenth-century political discourse, it has the potential to inform our approach to current problems of the reliability of discourse up through the present day.
Is the foreigner friend or foe? This interdisciplinary conference, with a special focus on litera... more Is the foreigner friend or foe? This interdisciplinary conference, with a special focus on literature, religion, theology, politics, and history, and their intersections, explores the reality of xenophobia and what role it played in medieval and early modern societies. This is more than a question of the "Other"; it is about examining the ambiguities of migration and cross-cultural exchange in daily life during a period of religious, political, and cultural upheaval within Europe and beyond. sites.nd.edu/strangers-and-neighbors-conference
All lodging expenses for paper presenters will be reimbursed. Some meals provided. Please send an... more All lodging expenses for paper presenters will be reimbursed. Some meals provided. Please send an abstract no longer than 200 words and an abbreviated CV to strangers@nd.edu before July 1, 2020. Decisions will be released on or before September 15, 2020. For more details on the conference, please visit sites.nd.edu/strangers-and-neighbors-conference/. Proposals by advanced graduate students will be considered.
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