Medieval manuscript margins often worked like side conversations
Annotations, sketches, and corrections can reveal how readers argued with a text across generations.
Takeaway
A margin can be evidence of attention, not a distraction from the main work.
What I learned
Margins in old manuscripts were not always empty space. Readers used them for corrections, comments, small drawings, and signs of disagreement.
Why it matters
The margin shows reading as an active practice. A book can carry traces of many readers, not just the original author.
Question
What would my own notes reveal about how I think through a text?