About this ebook
Composed in French in twelfth-century England, these twelve brief verse narratives center on the joys, sorrows, and complications of love affairs in a context that blends the courtly culture of tournaments and hunting and otherworldly elements such as self-steering boats, shape-shifting lovers, and talking animals. Popular with readers across countries and languages since their composition, the Lais have made their author, Marie, one of the most famous women writers of the Middle Ages, renowned for her brilliant use of language and cultural allusion as well as her keen eye for human behavior.
This new edition provides a complete facing-page edition with the original text alongside a new modern English translation. A single manuscript, Harley 978, is used as the copy text. Appendices include contemporary literature on love, animals, and courtly life, as well as a list of textual variants in other manuscripts.
Ratings and reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Jill
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February 20, 2023
I was lucky enough to have an undergraduate course with Dr. Waters when her book was still in the drafting stage - the early, spiral-bound copy we used as a textbook was the first side-by-side translation I'd ever encountered and it was stunning. To taste the flavor of the Old French poetry alongside a detailed translation with explanatory notes is an incredible gift. The appendices here further enrich the reading experience of one of my favorite poets.
About the author
Claire M. Waters is Professor of English at the University of California, Davis.
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