Show press agents unknown to medieval writers A striking feature of medieval literature Is its general anonymity writes W 11 schofield in english literature from the norman conquest to chaucer of the many who wrote the names of but few are recorded and of the history of these few we have only the taoist meager details nor ts Is this a simple accident formerly the importance attached to an authors personality wits far less than now in case either of a narrative or a didactic work iwas the substance above all that attracted attention originality of matter was deplored as a fault independence of treatment meant to our forefathers contempt of authority tho thor rity liv a heinous offense in their eyes it was Rs as unsafe for a storyteller to tol depart from the well marl ed lines or 0 1 nh tradition as for him film to disregard orthodox olos beliefs and even the gren greatest test dared hot present new views without at least claiming august support A prudent author sought a powerful patron in order to insure success or fa fathered therel ills his invent eions on some ancient worthy could not deny them but the list last thing he would have deemed wise would have been to copyright them us as his own |