Rigney Formal Post 4

[Joe Rigney]

I apologize for being late to the Malmesbury party; my copy of the book had issues. I'm doing my best with the pdf.

William of Malmesbury's conception of historiography involves a number of overlapping concerns and commitments, which he highlights through his prose and his use of metaphor. Fundamentally, history writing is story-telling, but it's a particular kind of story-telling undertaken by a particular kind of person. Good history must be 1) accurate, 2) engaging, and 3) accessible, and it can only be done by diligent men of good will with a particular enthusiasm for their task. It's aim, as with all good literature, is to teach and delight.

William places accuracy at the center of his project. He is not interested in moral fables, but in "the truth in its fullness" (GP Prologue). The extensive travels throughout England, the comparison and weighing of sources, the recitation of entire letters to establish certainty: all testify to William's desire to "rescue from oblivion" deeds otherwise lost in the darkness of the past. Good historians are diligent explorers, as William's extended use of the "journey" metaphor demonstrates (see GP Book 4 Prologue and Book 5 Prologue). His two works are two roundtrips through England, an England that is darkened through want of "energetic writers" who are willing to "do battle for the saints" (GP Book 4 Prologue). William's sources are guideposts and "a light shining from a high watchtower," providing the material (though at times crude) for William's labor. 

But William is not content to be a mere explorer; he is an artist, adding Roman art (elegant Latin) to his crude material. Or again, he is a sailor on the seas, seeking divine favor to avoid making shipwreck (GR Prologue). His commitment to accuracy (one of the "necessities" of the historian (GP Book 1, Ch. 28)) sometimes clashes with his great concern to avoid boring his readers, a concern he repeats again and again. Boring history is bad history ("disgusting" in William's words) and William plies his story-telling trade well.

William also never loses sight of his audience. Though he writes for "serious students" (GP, Book 1, Ch. 63), his main audience appears to be broader, to those who have neither the time nor ability to consult a variety of sources. Thus, brevity is a chief concern, as William has much ground to cover in his journey, and even the best story-teller will lose his hearers if he tarries too long in the tall grass. The great biographies of the saints have great value, but William is aware of their limitations, and seeks to be a "popularizer," taking what is most useful in them and creating a one-stop shop for a wider audience.

All of these concerns underscore the need for a historian of good will. For there is a moral imperative to history-writing. Failure to record the past is evidence of sloth and ingratitude (GP Prologue). But God's peace will guard scholars of good will (GP Book 4 Prologue) as they seek to select the best material (and thus earn the trust of their readers), draw the right lessons from the historical material, and present it briefly in its fullness. Aside from his character, such a historian will have an "enthusiasm for worthwhile knowledge" (and thus be able to determine the worth of the knowledge he has) and a deep affection for his subject matter. Such endeavors marshall "a great army of words" (GP Book 3 Prologue) with which to spread the gratitude and pleasure of the past to those who will hear it.

Joe Rigney

612.455.3420

joe.r...@gmail.com