Medieval Cosmopolitanism and the Saracen-Christian Ethos
Marla Segol
In her paper, "Medieval Cosmopolitanism and the Saracen-Christian Ethos," Marla Segol argues that in Floire et Blancheflor Aucassin Nicolette, two medieval Occitanian romances, writers work actively to incorporate Islamic culture its accomplishments into a hybrid communal identity. The elements of this identity are demonstrated ways: first, through portrayal mixed couples second, depiction biculturally constituted landscape culture. Intercultural relations between characters dramatized structures religious conversion. Each romance features couple, with one member Christian other, formerly Muslim but converted at some point narrative. each work, validity lover's conversion is probed an interrogation problematization process. As these conversions probed, identities both their adoptive societies revealed accepted. so doing, works express cosmopolitan ideals serve distinguish Occitanians from northern western neighbors. Much conflict centers on negotiating assimilable knowledge Other within, as such, self.
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