University of Exeter Press
Crestien’s Guillaume d’Angleterre / William of England
An Edition and Annotated Translation
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- 192 Pages
An edition with facing annotated translation of the twelfth-century Medieval French popular romance Guillaume d’Angleterre. The claim to fame of this verse narrative is to have had its authorship attributed (falsely) to Chrétien de Troyes, the most famous of all twelfth-century Medieval French narrative poets. This prototypical adventure romance and is representative of a literary genre that has recently seen a renewal of interest among medieval literary critics.
An amusing tale of late twelfth-century social mobility, the romance tells of a bewildering series of adventures that befall a fictitious king who deliberately abandons his royal status to enter the ‘real’ world of knights, wolves, pirates and merchants. He and his family, dispersed by events between Bristol, Galway and Caithness, are finally reunited at Yarmouth thanks to a climactic stag hunt.
The book is designed for students of French, Medieval Studies, Comparative Literature and English, and for all medieval scholars interested in having an English version of a typical medieval adventure romance. It is the first authoritative English translation of this text, and all of its critical material is new.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47788/TXVU9029
An amusing tale of late twelfth-century social mobility, the romance tells of a bewildering series of adventures that befall a fictitious king who deliberately abandons his royal status to enter the ‘real’ world of knights, wolves, pirates and merchants. He and his family are finally reunited at Yarmouth thanks to a climactic stag hunt.
It is difficult to over-state Ian Short’s eminence in the field. His philological expertise is second to none.
Professor Daron Burrows, St Peter’s College, Oxford
At every step of the way, Prof. Short’s scholarship is admirable and a model to follow. His support, which is not limited to his introduction and bibliography, but also appears in the form of annotations throughout the translation, is very convincing—and enlightening. Throughout the annotated translation, he has further references to other scholars, medieval texts, and other passages from Guillaume that prove his assertions about the text.
Courtney Joseph Wells, Associate Professor of French, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
As a modern-language version of a lesser-known medieval work, Prof. Short’s edition and translation not only contribute to deepening our appreciation of the text and its tradition but also act as a reminder that hybrid, not easily classifiable texts falling outside of formed canons are undeniably worthy of scholarly attention.
Maria Slautina, Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies
In sum, this edition and translation is a notable achievement that adds much to our knowledge and should certainly replace all previous books on William of England.
Judith Weiss, Nottingham Medieval Studies
Introduction
Conspectus of principal narrative episodes
Guillaume d’Angleterre ◊ William of England
Corrections to the manuscript text
Bibliography
Index of persons and places
- 192 Pages