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The beginnings of medieval romance

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Up to the twelfth century writing in the western vernaculars dealt almost exclusively with religious, historical and factual themes, all of which were held to convey the truth. The second half of the twelfth century saw the emergence of a new genre, the romance, which was consciously conceived as fictional and therefore allowed largely to break free from traditional presuppositions. Dennis Green explores how and why this happened, and examines this period of crucial importance for the birth of the romance and the genesis of medieval fiction in the vernacular. Although the crucial innovative role of writers in Germany is Green's main concern, he also takes literature in Latin, French and Anglo-Norman into account. This study offers a definition of medieval fictionality in its first formative period in the twelfth century, and underlines the difficulties encountered in finding a place for the fictional romance within earlier literary traditions.

Title The beginnings of medieval romance : fact and fiction, 1150-1220 / D.H. Green. [electronic resource]
Edition 1st ed.
Publisher Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
Creation Date 2002
Notes Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).
Includes bibliographical references (p. 259-285) and index.
English
Content Defining twelfth-century fictionality -- Vernacular fiction in the twelfth century -- Fictive orality -- Fiction and Wolfram's Parzival -- Fiction and structure -- Fiction and history.
Series Cambridge studies in medieval literature
47
Extent 1 online resource (xiii, 292 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).
Language English
National Library system number 997010702915005171
MARC RECORDS
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