The Romance of the Violet and Other Wager Tales from Medieval France
Translated by Nancy Vine Durling
McFarland
ISBN: 978-1-4766-5400-3
This book offers translations of three thirteenth-century romances—The Romance of the Violet, The Romance of the Count of Poitiers, and The Tale of King Flore and the Fair Joan—each centred on men who wager over a woman’s virtue.
Excerpt:
Wager tales enjoyed a particular vogue in France in the early thirteenth century. Male anxiety about the legitimacy of heirs was, no doubt, one reason for the popularity of the theme, but the increasingly important role played by women as patrons of the arts was another. The theme of female honor was likely of special interest to high-born women and the valor shown by wager tale heroines would have appealed greatly to a female audience. At the same time, these stories offered exciting and detailed depictions of battles and tournaments, highlighting the activities and interests of the noblemen of the time. Such scenes would have been particularly gratifying to male audience members.
Who is this book for?
Fans of medieval literature will appreciate these translations—two appearing in English for the first time—which bring to light a fascinating sub-genre of romance known as the ‘wager tale.’ These stories, centred on bets about women’s virtue, offer revealing glimpses into the views of noble men when it came to the opposite gender.
The Author
Nancy Vine Durling, now an independent scholar, has previously taught at Princeton, UC Santa Cruz, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Oregon and UC Berkeley. Her work on medieval literature has produced several translations.
The Romance of the Violet and Other Wager Tales from Medieval France
Translated by Nancy Vine Durling
McFarland
ISBN: 978-1-4766-5400-3
This book offers translations of three thirteenth-century romances—The Romance of the Violet, The Romance of the Count of Poitiers, and The Tale of King Flore and the Fair Joan—each centred on men who wager over a woman’s virtue.
Excerpt:
Wager tales enjoyed a particular vogue in France in the early thirteenth century. Male anxiety about the legitimacy of heirs was, no doubt, one reason for the popularity of the theme, but the increasingly important role played by women as patrons of the arts was another. The theme of female honor was likely of special interest to high-born women and the valor shown by wager tale heroines would have appealed greatly to a female audience. At the same time, these stories offered exciting and detailed depictions of battles and tournaments, highlighting the activities and interests of the noblemen of the time. Such scenes would have been particularly gratifying to male audience members.
Who is this book for?
Fans of medieval literature will appreciate these translations—two appearing in English for the first time—which bring to light a fascinating sub-genre of romance known as the ‘wager tale.’ These stories, centred on bets about women’s virtue, offer revealing glimpses into the views of noble men when it came to the opposite gender.
The Author
Nancy Vine Durling, now an independent scholar, has previously taught at Princeton, UC Santa Cruz, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Oregon and UC Berkeley. Her work on medieval literature has produced several translations.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
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