The Legend of Charlemagne in Medieval England: The Matter of France in Middle English and Anglo-Norman Literature by Phillipa Hardman, and Marianne Ailes
Roderick McDonald
Reviewed by: The Legend of Charlemagne in Medieval England: Matter France Middle English and Anglo-Norman Literature by Phillipa Hardman, Marianne Ailes Roderick McDonald Phillipa, Ailes, (Bristol Studies Cultures), Cambridge, D. S. Brewer, 2017; hardback; pp. 489; 5 b/w illustrations; R.R.P. £60.00; ISBN 9781843844723. Over recent years an increasing awareness multilingualism medieval England has been informing linguistic, literary, cultural scholarship. This book, exploring the intersection literary production across religious, geographic, socio-political contexts, is a solid piece work sharing this discourse. volume focuses on translations adaptations various narratives from twelfth to sixteenth centuries. It embraces both close textual readings material philology, it does within frame commonalities ties between France, rather than dwelling anachronistic or unhistorical divergences two. linguistic context England, its implications for philological analyses, are established at outset. Latin, French (both continental Anglo-Norman), were spoken written well into late period, authors argue that presence use these languages influenced character purpose translation adaptation. introductory chapter explores detail such implications, including acceptance was not marker foreignness, any more can be taken as (burgeoning) national identity. Indeed, perspective takes texts traditions explicitly addresses issues identity, notion literature identity wrong. In fact, opposite case made, interest translated better understood appropriation tradition, arising [End Page 214] endorsing idea English, embracing Carolingian narrative their story-worlds imaginings, constructing themselves insular French, differentiating Englishness. book bipartite structure. Chapters 1 3 discuss ways which tradition became acculturated, translated, appropriated while chapters 4 6 each concerned with three discrete narratives: Roland battle Roncevaux, Fierabras, Otinel. addition reviewing much prior (and often dismissive) scholarship relationship chansons de geste material, first chapter, 'The Insular Literary Context', also traces circulation of, local developments in, French-language England. then maps formal poetic aspects developing considering critical relating genre providing detailed analysis verse forms structure metrical romances. concludes strong arguments favour understanding formally coherent, intertextual, comprising consistent selection program. 2 explore, respectively, Anglo-Norman, English. works show particular primary themes: crusades alterity Saracens, role importance holy relics, status kingship monarchy. These themes carry over adaptations, but interesting important changes emphasis focus, relevant context. second part provide descriptions analyses all manuscript versions narratives. studies include comparisons versions, variance examination social political conditions production. being examined (Roland, Otinel) afforded own very useful appendix included lists manuscripts. shown embedded multi-layered motivated adaptation practices, reveals...
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