Module description
Romance is a culturally iconic literary genre, both within the French tradition and beyond. Generally seen as the origin of the modern novel, medieval French romance was also the vehicle for the dissemination from the twelfth century onwards of new ideas about chivalry, love, women and sexuality. Widely imitated in other European languages, medieval French romance has moreover been viewed as the main reason why French was the pre-eminent vernacular literary culture of the Middle Ages. However, modern critics have tended to focus largely on just one strand of the tradition—Arthurian romance—at the expense of the wide variety of forms that were practised. Similarly, the focus on love has sometimes obscured the deft humour and narrative complexity of many romances. This module, while not neglecting Arthurian romance, aims to introduce students to a range of other romances. This will enable students to reassess some of the traditional approaches to the main themes of romance. The module will include tuition in reading Old French.
Assessment details
One 4000 word essay (100%)
Educational aims & objectives
- To introduce students to a range of different types of Old French romance.
- To reflect on the main themes of Old French romance. This will include not only themes traditionally considered central to the genre such as chivalry, love, women, and sexuality, but also empire, travel, kingship, and ethics.
- To reflect upon the narrative technique and style of medieval French romance.
- To consider its various functions: to entertain, to instruct, to provide exemplary material for debate.
- To reflect upon the generic specificity of Old French romance, particularly with a view to seeing if traditional views of genre may be called into question when a broader range of texts is considered.
- To reflect upon the position of Old French romance within European literary and cultural history.
- To give students a good reading knowledge of Old French.
Learning outcomes
After taking this module, students will:
- have acquired a sound knowledge of the forms and varieties of twelfth- and thirteenth-century French romance.
- have developed methodological tools for narratological and rhetorical analysis of medieval texts.
- have developed an intellectual framework for reflecting on genre.
- have deepened their knowledge of some of the main themes of medieval French literature, building on a base acquired through the study of selected medieval texts in the first and second years.
- have acquired a solid reading knowledge of Old French.
- have further developed a range of generic and transferable skills through giving class presentations, undertaking supervised enquiry-based learning, and writing essays.
Teaching pattern
Two classes per week.
Suggested reading list
Unless otherwise stated, students are expected to buy their own copy of all core texts.
- Béroul, Tristan, in Tristan et Iseult: les poèmes français—la saga norroise, ed. Daniel Lacroix and Philippe Walter (Paris: Livre de Poche, 1989)
- Chrétien de Troyes, Le Chevalier au lion, ed. David Hult (Paris: Livre de Poche, 1994)
- Floire et Blanchefleur: Le Conte de Floire et Blanchefleur, ed. Jean-Luc Leclanche (Paris: Champion Classiques: 2006)
- Jakemes, Le Roman du Châtelain de Coucy et de la Dame de Fayel, ed. Catherine Gaullier-Bougassas (Paris: Champion Classique, 2009)
- La Mort du roi Arthur, ed. David Hult (Paris: Livre de Poche, 2009)