Instruction and Induction: Students’ Identity Construction through the 15th-century Manuale Scholarium.

Abstract

The late 15th-century Manuale Scholarium has long been regarded as merely a Latin phrasebook for new scholars at the University of Heidelberg, as it guides students on how to converse in various academic and personal interactions. This thesis seeks to challenge that view, arguing instead that the Manuale functions as an active agent in constructing the identity of its readers – future scholars. How does the Manuale Scholarium go beyond being a simple Latin conversational guide to actively shape the personal and collective identities of its audience? To answer this, I examine eight aspects of the text: What can its dissemination reveal about its audience and the “imagined community” of medieval scholars? How did its structure as a manual and a dialogue influence the reader’s perception? How did its use of Latin, vocabulary, and diction contribute to identity formation? Finally, are there dramatic and ritualistic elements that might have influenced the reader’s experience, and if so, how? With these questions in mind, I delve into the fascinating and surprisingly relatable world of Camillus and Bartoldus, the two student interlocutors, to understand how the text’s qualities shaped the reader’s experience and identity. This research highlights how the Manuale transitions from language instruction to the induction of the new scholar into a new identity and community, offering not just education but transformation.