Yoshikawa, Naoë Kukita. “The Jerusalem Pilgrimage: The Centre of the Structure of the BookofMargeryKempe.” English Studies, vol. 86, no. 3, 16 Feb. 2005, pp. 193–205., https://doi.org/10.1080/0013838042000339826.
Naoë Kukita Yoshikawa argues that Margery Kempe reconstructs the accounts of her life with the medieval view of Jerusalem being the geographical and symbolic center of the world, which aides her in portraying the circular and linear nature of her spiritual processes in the narrative structure of her Book (Yoshikawa 193). Since Kempe places her pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the centre of her Book, her spiritual processes are shown through a circular narrative by revealing how her religious experience influences how she understands the Redemption (203). These processes exist in a linear narrative when Kempe writes of her continuous process of spiritual development upon returning to England (204). Yoshikawa investigates how historical texts and objects studied in the medieval era may have influenced Kempe’s choice of narrative structure; Mappaemundi - which functions as a visual aid adapted to teaching the history of salvation - may have served as inspiration for Kempe’s voyage to Jerusalem, and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament may have influenced Kempe’s visions (197). Mystical ideas at the time may have also inspired her visions, meaning the idea of Jerusalem being the bride of Christ might have influenced her vision of heavenly Jerusalem (198).
-- Grace Kranz
