Step into an infinite world of stories
Lyric Poetry
While most English-language readers are familiar with Old French epic poetry, or chansons de geste, through the Song of Roland and its tale of gallant martyrdom, this volume provides a broader and richer view of the tradition by introducing songs devoted to the exploits of a different sort of hero—the brave and blustery William of Orange. An Old French Trilogy provides an updated English translation of three central poems from the twelfth-century Guillaume d’Orange cycle.
In The Coronation of Louis, the hero saves both king and pope from would-be usurpers and earns the nickname “Short-Nosed William” after a fierce, disfiguring battle with a Saracen giant. In A Convoy to Nîmes and The Conquest of Orange, William conquers two important cities and wins the love of the Saracen Queen Orable. Tremendously popular in the Middle Ages, these works stand the test of time, and the accessible translations capture the sense of the original Old French decasyllabic verse without attempting to preserve or imitate its formal properties. The introduction to the volume discusses literary devices and motifs; historical context; issues of religious conflict, otherness, and gender roles; and themes such as loyalty and courage.
© 2020 University Press of Florida (Ebook): 9780813065830
Translators: William W. Kibler, Catherine M. Jones, Logan E. Whalen
Release date
Ebook: 15 June 2020
Over 950 000 titles
Kids Mode (child safe environment)
Download books for offline access
Cancel anytime
For those who want to listen and read without limits.
S$12.98 /month
Unlimited listening
Cancel anytime
For those who want to listen and read without limits.
S$69 /6 months
Unlimited listening
Cancel anytime
For those who want to listen and read without limits.
S$119 /year
Unlimited listening
Cancel anytime
For those who want to share stories with family and friends.
Starting at S$14.90 /month
Unlimited listening
Cancel anytime
S$14.90 /month
English
Singapore
