Honeysuckle and the Hazel Tree - Medieval Stories of Men and Women

"These are elegant, sprightly, witty versions of five lais by Marie de France plus other texts central to the courtly tradition. To translate from Old French into today's idiom in verse is a daunting feat; Patricia Terry meets the challenge with intelligence and brio. Ideal for classroom use."—William Calin, author of The French Tradition and the Literature of Medieval England

"Here are irresistibly engaging tales of romantic love with almost uncanny psychological underlayers. Terry's translation remains true to the literal text as it brilliantly conveys to modern audiences the pulse and passions of life and love."—Harriet Spiegel, editor and translator of Marie de France: Fables

List of contents

Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction

CHRETIEN DE TROYES
Philomena 

MARIE DE FRANCE
The Nightingale
The Two Lovers
Honeysuckle
Lanval
Eliduc

JEAN RENART
The Reflection

ANONYMOUS
The Chatelaine of Vergi

Notes to the Poems

About the author

Patricia Terry has been Professor of Literature at Barnard College and the University of California, San Diego. Her translation of Renard the Fox is available from California in paperback.

Summary

This book presents translations of four major practitioners of octosyllabic verse, the dominant literary form of 12th- and 13th-century France. The introduction discusses the varying views of women and love in the texts and their place in the courtly tradition.

Product details

• Authors: Patricia Terry
• Assisted by: Patricia Terry (Translation), Patricia Ann Terry (Translation), Terry Patricia (Translation)
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 22.06.1995
• EAN: 9780520083790
• ISBN: 978-0-520-08379-0
• No. of pages: 214
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama > Poetry; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; French, LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, LITERARY CRITICISM / European / French, POETRY / Anthologies (multiple authors), Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Poetry anthologies (various poets), Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Literary studies: poetry and poets, LITERARY CRITICISM / Novel as Form