Out of sight, but not out of mind: A Middle Dutch religious allegory as guide towards the absent Christ

Abstract

The Daughter Zion allegory has previously been interpreted as a failed allegory for mystical union, both because it relies on personification allegory and because some versions do not actually portray intimate union between the soul and God. Focusing on the Middle Dutch incunable Vander dochtere van syon een deuoet exercitie (A Devout Exercise on the Daughter of Zion), printed by Gheraert Leeu in 1492, I will offer a different interpretation that is based on what the narrative does, rather than on what it does not do. By creating complex characters with inner lives and by fuelling speculation about their motivations, the text creates potent candidates for an intense, mediated relationship with the divine that is similar to parasocial relationships with fictional characters. The text helps the (likely female) reader to develop the devotional skills that will aid her in her spiritual progress.