Reclaiming Catherine of Siena: Literacy, Literature, and the Signs of Others by Jane Tylus

Jane Tylus' work 'Reclaiming Catherine of Siena: Literacy, Literature, and the Signs of Others' challenges historical skepticism surrounding Catherine of Siena's literacy, establishing her as a pioneering Italian writer. The study employs a meticulous analysis of Catherine's letters, dictated works from Pisa, and her later writing in Rome, alongside hagiographic texts by Raymond of Capua and Tommaso Caffarini. Tylus argues that Catherine learned to write during her time in the Val d'Orcia in 1377, using Tuscan vernacular deliberately, thereby positioning her alongside Dante and Petrarch in the development of Italian literature. The research also examines the preservation and presentation of her literary legacy, including Girolamo Gigli's 18th-century defense and Aldus Manutius' 16th-century edition. Through linguistic analysis, Tylus reconstructs Catherine's self-understanding as both a speaker and writer, offering new insights into her authorship and the cultural significance of her work.

Parsons, G. (2010). Reclaiming Catherine of Siena: Literacy, Literature, and the Signs of Others by Jane Tylus. Modern Language Review, 105(2), 574–575. https://doi.org/10.1353/mlr.2010.0170