Description based upon print version of record.

Table of Figures; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Why is sermon literature an important source?; What is the relevance of Lent?; What are the implications of vernacular sermons?; Hermeneutical keys: Quis, quid, ubi, per quos, quotiens, cur, quomodo, quando?; Chapter One: Quid and quis; Quid -- what have you done?; Sermones quadragesimales; Quaresimale fiorentino; Lo specchio della vera penitenza; Quis -- who are you?; Jacopo da Varazze; Giordano da Pisa; Jacopo Passavanti; Conclusion; Chapter Two: Reception and dissemination of Dominican sermons in late medieval Florence; Sermons as literature

Literary audience of vernacular Dominican sermonsWomen learning and teaching; Vernacular theology; Reading habits in Florence; Description of manuscripts; Case studies; Firenze, Biblioteca Riccardiana, Ms. 1277; Firenze, Biblioteca Riccardiana, Ms. 1338; Firenze, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Ms. II.IV.167; Overview; Chapter Three: Dominican reading, seeing, and believing; Divine science; Double divine science; Learning vernacular theology; Women protagonists; Mary Magdalen; Martha and Martilla; Visible women; Women in the Dominican chapter house; Women in the public square; Exemplary women

ConclusionChapter Four: Villana de' Botti; Latin vita and vernacular theology; One among many; A Dominican laywoman; A married penitent; The vita of Villana; An active, visible, and vocal audience; A learned Dominican penitent; Villana's memory; The memorial of women; The memorial of lay societies; The memories for the friars; Conclusion; Conclusions; Appendices; Appendix A: Comparative index of thema of Lenten sermons; Appendix B: Translations; Appendix C: Bibliographical abbreviations for Chapter Two, description of manuscripts

Appendix D: Quantitative analysis of manuscripts examined in Chapter TwoBibliography; Index

This book examines the audiences and languages of Dominican sermons in late medieval Italy. It is a thorough analysis of how Latinate theological culture interacted with popular religious devotion. In particular it assesses the role of vernacular theology. Eliana Corbari defines vernacular theology as a form of theology that is based neither on a Latin scholastic model nor a monastic one. It is a "third dimension" of theology which was accessible to the laity, and in particular women, through their attendance at sermons and the reading of vernacular devotional works (in this case, medieval Ita.