The Arthur of the Italians
The Arthurian Legend in Medieval Italian Literature and Culture
Language: English
Genre(s): History
Series: Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages
Hardback - 9781783160501 Paperback - 9781786830715 eBook - epub - 9781783161584 eBook - mobi - 9781783161591 eBook - pdf - 9781783160518
About The Book
This is the first comprehensive book on the Arthurian legend in medieval and Renaissance Italy since Edmund Gardner’s 1930 The Arthurian Legend in Italian Literature. Arthurian material reached all levels of Italian society, from princely courts with their luxury books and frescoed palaces, to the merchant classes and even popular audiences in the piazza, which enjoyed shorter retellings in verse and prose. Unique assemblages emerge on Italian soil, such as the Compilation of Rustichello da Pisa or the innovative Tavola Ritonda, in versions made for both Tuscany and the Po Valley. Chapters examine the transmission of the French romances across Italy; reworkings in various Italian regional dialects; the textual relations of the prose Tristan; narrative structures employed by Italian writers; later ottava rima poetic versions in the new medium of printed books; the Arthurian-themed art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance; and more. The Arthur of the Italians offers a rich corpus of new criticism by scholars who have brought the Italian Arthurian material back into critical conversation.
Endorsements
‘Finally, a volume in English about the Arthurian legend in Italy. This volume, with its broad range of interdisciplinary studies and up-to-date bibliography, will be an essential point of departure for future research in the field.’
– Leslie Zarker Morgan, Loyola University Maryland
‘Italian Arthuriana is now for the first time in English given the scholarly introduction it deserves. A ground-breaking contribution to Arthurian scholarship, this volume should be essential reading for all students of the corpus.’
– Donald Hoffman, Northeastern Illinois University
‘Long overdue and not easily replicated, Allaire and Psaki’s collection will doubtless be the standard study of the Italian Arthuriad for years to come.’
– Kevin J. Harty, La Salle University
‘This book is a joy to read, demonstrating a vast diffusion of Arthurian culture throughout the Middle Ages in Italy. It will be of relevance to students and scholars alike.’
– Forum for Modern Language Studies
About the Editor(s)
F. Regina Psaki
F. Regina Psaki is the Giustina Family Professor of Italian Language and Literature at the University of Oregon. She has translated three medieval romances: Tristano Riccardiano (2006), the Roman de la Rose ou de Guillaume de Dole (1995) and the Roman de Silence (1991). She also works on Dante, Boccaccio and medieval misogyny.