Article Review: “The N-Town Presentation of Mary in the Temple and the Production of Rhetorical Knowledge” by Frank Napolitano

Upon researching for my second paper proposal, I came across Napolitano’s study of the “Presentation of Mary in the Temple” from the N-Town Plays. Napolitano reads the “Presentation” through a rhetorical-pedagogical lens, arguing that Mary functions as a model for the ideal student, audience, and instructor. The playwright uses Mary to “expand the possibilities of scriptural interpretation… [encouraging] a student’s and rhetor’s application of scripture to their specific circumstances” (Napolitano 6). This reading of the “Presentation of Mary” will be invaluable in orienting myself to the “Presentation of Mary,” but also effective rhetorical-pedagogical readings of texts.

Napolitano’s article is also incredibly useful in its discussion of audience assumption and expectation in the N-Town Plays. From the article, we can gain an understanding of what Christian references / artifacts the lay audience would have been aware of. For the purposes of my second paper, I will use Napolitano’s claim that “the audience would have been aware that the playwright was employing didactic techniques similar to those they had seen displayed in the pulpit” (4).

I’d suggest you give this article a read. It is interesting, recent (published 2013), and has great sources (Chris, there’s a book by Scoville entitled Saints and the Audience in Middle English Biblical Drama that could be of use to you!).

http://ftp1.whitworth.edu:3355/ehost/detail/detail?sid=12140cd2-d747-41a0-a05b-fea73ca78924%40sessionmgr4001&vid=0&hid=4214&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=85404156&db=rlh