The Matter of Identity in Medieval Romance
Title Details

184 Pages

23.4 x 15.6 cm

Imprint: D.S.Brewer

The Matter of Identity in Medieval Romance

Edited by Phillipa Hardman

  • Description
  • Contents
  • Author
  • Reviews
Twelve essays address a central concern of medieval romance, the matter of identity.

Identity is a central concern of medieval romance. Here it is approached through essays on issues of origin and parentage, transformation and identity, and fundamental questions of what constitutes the human. The construction of knightly identity through education and testing is explored, and placed in relation to female identity; the significance of the motif of doubling is studied. Shifting perceptions of identities are traced through the histories of specific texts, and the identity of romance itself is the subject of several essays discussing ideas of genre (the overlap between romance and hagiography is a theme linking a number of articles in the collection). Medieval romanceis shown as a marketable commodity in the printed output of William Copland, and as an opportunity for literary experimentation in the work of John Metham. The texts discussed include: Chevalere Assigne, Sir Gowther, Sir Ysumbras, Beves of Hamtoun, Robert of Cisyle, the Fierabras romances, Breton lays, Thomas's Tristan and Marie de France's Eliduc.

Contributors: W.A. DAVENPORT, JOANNE CHARBONNEAU, CORINNE SAUNDERS, AMANDA HOPKINS, MORGAN DICKSON, MARIANNE AILES, JUDITH WEISS, JOHN SIMONS, RHIANNON PURDIE, MALDWYN MILLS, A.S.G. EDWARDS, ROGER DALRYMPLE.
The Matter of Identity in Medieval Romance -
Abbreviation and the Education of the Hero in Chevalere Assigne - W A Davenport
From Devil to Saint: Transformations in Sir Gowther - Joanne A Charbonneau
Desire, Will and Intention in Sir Beves of Hamptoun - Corinne Saunders
Female Vulnerability as Catalyst in the Middle English Breton Lays - Amanda Hopkins
Female Doubling and Male Identity in Medieval Romance - Morgan Dickson
Ganelon in the Middle English Fierabras Romances - Marianne Ailes
Emperors and Antichrists: Reflections of Empire in Insular Narrative, 1130-1250 - Judith Weiss
A Byzantine Identity for Robert of Cisyle - John Simons
Generic Identity and the Origins of Sir Isumbras -
Generic Titles in Bodleian Library MS Douce 261 and British Library MS Egerton 3132A - Maldwyn Mills
William Copland and the Identity of Printed Middle English Romance - A S G Edwards
Amoryus and Cleopes: John Metham's Metamorphosis of Chaucer and Ovid - Roger Dalrymple

PHILLIPA HARDMAN is Reader in Medieval English Literature (retired) at the University of Reading.

"[Readers] will find a number of solid investigations that contribute to the field of Middle English studies as well as several comparative readings of a variety of interesting works.The collection is most useful to generalists in any field of medieval literature." ARTHURIANA

Hardcover

9780859917612

November 2002

Buy

$105.00 / £70.00

Shipping Options

Buy Ships within 2 business days

Buy

Purchasing options are not available in this country.

Title Details

184 Pages

2.34 x 1.56 cm

Imprint: D.S.Brewer