Handbook of Arthurian Romance: King Arthur's Court in Medieval European Literature

by Leah Tether (Editor), Johnny McFadyen (Editor), Keith Busby (Contribution by), Ad Putter (Contribution by)

Overview

The renowned and illustrious tales of King Arthur, his knights and the Round Table pervade all European vernaculars, as well as the Latin tradition. Arthurian narrative material, which had originally been transmitted in oral culture, began to be inscribed regularly in the twelfth century, developing from (pseudo-)historical beginnings in the Latin chronicles of "historians" such as Geoffrey of Monmouth into masterful literary works like the romances of Chrétien de Troyes. Evidently a big hit, Arthur found himself being swiftly translated, adapted and integrated into the literary traditions of almost every European vernacular during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. This Handbook seeks to showcase the European character of Arthurian romance both past and present.

By working across national philological boundaries, which in the past have tended to segregate the study of Arthurian romance according to language, as well as by exploring primary texts from different vernaculars and the Latin tradition in conjunction with recent theoretical concepts and approaches, this Handbook brings together a pioneering and more complete view of the specifically European context of Arthurian romance, and promotes the more connected study of Arthurian literature across the entirety of its European context.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783110655803
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Publication date:	07/08/2019
Series:	De Gruyter Reference
Pages:	563
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.05(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Leah Tether, University of Bristol, UK; Johnny McFadyen, Oxford University Press, UK.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

List of Contributors xi

List of Abbreviations xv

Introduction: King Arthur's Court in Medieval European Literature Leah Tether Johnny McFadyen 1

Section I The Context of Arthurian Romance

Historical Context: The Middle Ages and the Code of Chivalry Robert Rouse 13

The International Arthurian Society and Arthurian Scholarship Samantha J. Rayner 25

The Evolution of the Critical Canon Aisling Byrne 43

Text-Types and Formal Features Patrick Moran 59

The Arthur-Figure Matthias Meyer 79

The Manuscript Context of Arthurian Romance Keith Busby 97

Readership and Audience Bart Besamusca 117

Section II Approaching Arthurian Romance: Theories and Key Terms

Chronology, Anachronism and Translatio Imperil Sif Rikhardsdottir 135

Historiography: Fictionality vs. Factuality Helen Fulton 151

Rewriting: Translation, Continuation and Adaptation Jane H.M. Taylor 167

Intertextuality Marjolein Hogenbirk 183

New Philology/Manuscript Studies Stefka G. Eriksen 199

Text and Image Alison Stones 215

Material Studies Andrew James Johnston 225

The Natural World Christine Ferlampin-Acher 239

Gender/Queer Studies Carolyne Larrington 259

Orality, Literacy and Performativity of Arthurian Texts Richard Trachsler 273

Medievalism Andrew B.R. Elliott 293

Post-Colonial Studies Andrew Lynch 307

Section III Reading Arthurian Romances: Content, Method and Context

Heinrich von dem Türlin's Diu Crône: Life at the Arthurian Court Florian Kragl 323

Herr Ivan: Chivalric Values and Negotiations of Identity Sofia Lodén 339

La Tavola Ritonda: Magic and the Supernatural Giulia Murgia 355

Chrétien de Troyes' Lancelot, ou le Chevalier de la charrette: Courtly Love Thomas Hinton 373

Sir Percyvell of Galles: A Quest for Values Raluca L. Radulescu 389

Peredur son of Efrawg: The Question of Translation and/or Adaptation Lowri Morgans 403

The Roman von Walewein and Moriaen: Travelling through Landscapes and Foreign Countries Frank Brandsma 415

The Iberian Post-Vulgate Cycle: Cyclicity in Translation Paloma Gracia 431

Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival: Searching for the Grail Michael Stolz 443

Chrétien de Troyes' Erec et Enide: Women in Arthurian Romance Laura Chuhan Campbell 461

Merlin: Christian Ethics and the Question of Shame Gareth Griffith 477

De ortu Watwanii and Historia Meriadoci: Technologies in/of Romance Siân Echard 493

Jaufre: Genre Boundaries and Ambiguity Charmaine Lee 505

Index 521

Editorial Reviews

"Den Kanō kritisch zu erweitern und auch die Grenzen der Einzelphilologien aufzuweichen – einen Beitrag dazu kann das vorliegende Handbuch leisten."
Ulrich Hoffmann in: Arbitrium 37.1 (2019), 28-31

From the Publisher