Description
Book SynopsisThis prose translation of twenty-four lays from the French Middle Ages brings to the general reader as well as to scholars a complement to the twelve well-known lays by Marie de France, the possible creator of the genre. These lays are mostly anonymous, and the majority, but by no means all of them, are, like Marie’s lays, centred on a love interest of some kind in a variety of settings. But, unlike Marie’s lays, their treatment varies from the courtly and sophisticated to the comic or the tragic, thereby illustrating the range of poems covered by the term lai in twelfth- and thirteenth-century France. A significant number of these lays, based in the courtly world, contain supernatural elements or magic objects that are fundamental to the story as it is related, and sometimes the heroes leave the real world to dwell forever in an otherworldly domain. Other lays have a more mundane feel to them and seem closer to the fabliau in tone. In one instance, the lay of Haveloc, the tale owes more to legendary history than to pure fantasy. Overall, this collection stakes a claim to make an important contribution to the Medieval French lay within the wider European tradition of the short story and the literature of love.
Trade ReviewReviews 'With this volume, and the projects which have preceded it, Burgess and Brook are to be congratulated for their work in ensuring greater prominence for these lays, and in widening resources for use in comparative and interdisciplinary scholarship.'
Alison Williams,
Modern Language Review'This volume is suitable for use in the classroom as well as for enjoyment by the general reader.'
The Society for the Study of Medieval Languages and Literature'[Twenty-Four Lays from the French Middle Ages] will no doubt result in new perspectives for any English speaking researcher interested in medieval literature... We can only applaud the work done to give more visibility and accessibility to texts that actually deserve more attention, both from specialists than a wider audience.'
Virgile Reiter, Cahiers de civilisation médiévale
Translated from French,
'[Twenty-Four Lays from the French Middle Ages] qui entraînera sans doute de nouvelles perspectives pour tout chercheur anglophone s’intéressant à la littérature médiévale... Nous ne pouvons effectivement qu’applaudir le travail fourni pour donner plus de visibilité et d’accessibilité à des textes qui méritent effectivement plus d’attention, aussi bien de la part des spécialistes que d’un public plus large.'
Table of ContentsGeneral Introduction
Manuscripts
Magic and Mystery1. Melion
2. Tyolet
3. Graelent
4. Guingamor
5. Desiré
6. Doon
7. Espine
8. Tydorel
9. Trot
Fun and Games10. Mantel
11. Cor
12. Aristote
13. Lecheor
14. Ignaure
15. Oiselet
16. Espervier
17. Nabaret
Passion and Tears18. Piramus and Thisbe
19. Narcisus and Dané
Romance and Realism20. The Chastelaine de Vergi
21. The Lai de l’Ombre
22. Amours
23. Conseil
The Lay as History24. Haveloc
Bibliography
Index of Proper Names
