Reasons for anonymity:
* Oral Tradition: Much medieval literature originated in oral traditions, passed down through generations before being written down. The story was more important than the individual who told it.
* Clerical Scriptoria: Many texts were copied and circulated by monks and scribes in scriptoria. They were more concerned with preserving the knowledge than with individual authorship.
* Humility: In a society valuing religious devotion, authors might have felt it inappropriate to draw attention to themselves.
* Patronage: Some writers might have chosen anonymity to avoid offending patrons or being perceived as self-promoting.
* Lost Records: We've simply lost records of the authors of many works, leaving them anonymous to us today.
Reasons for attributed authorship:
* Famous Authors: Some writers, like Geoffrey Chaucer, were well-known in their time and their works were clearly attributed.
* Explicit Statements: Many texts, especially later medieval works, include authorial statements within the text itself.
* Historical Records: Records like letters and documents sometimes reveal authorship that might not appear in the works themselves.
Important Considerations:
* "Anonymity" is a modern concept: The concept of "author" and "copyright" developed later. Medieval audiences might not have perceived anonymity in the same way.
* Collaboration was common: Many texts were collaboratively written or revised over time, making clear attribution difficult.
Therefore, while anonymity is a common feature of medieval literature, it's not a definitive characteristic. The reasons behind it varied greatly depending on the text and the historical context.