Medieval Manuscript Layouts: A Cognitive Journey through the Page

Abstract

Abstract Page layouts affect our reading and interpreting of texts. The paper proposes that in designing the mise-en-page of medieval manuscripts, scribes made choices and selected various visual tools which played specific roles and induced different cognitive processes. It explores the structure and the cognitive signposts in detail through a close analysis of a large number of manuscript layouts of different textual genres and supplies images to illustrate the points. It looks at the archaeology of the text and the creativity with which medieval readers engaged with the folio through their contributions of glossing and building a many-layered, instantly available dialogue with the text and each other. The paper introduces the concept that the folio acts as a work surface within which instances of visual thinking and experimenting emerge and supports the claim through case studies of diagrammatic thinking. Based on comparison, it argues for the similar nature of medieval folio layouts and modern webpage design through an analysis of their shared cognitive tools and overall impression. A summary table of the cognitive tools of the folio layout gives an overview of the main areas and tools of the design and use of the mise-en-page. Reading is a personal experience and the cognitive elements of the medieval folio layout even today contribute to one’s approach to and interpretation of the text making it a journey of discovery and self-discovery.