The Arthur of the Germans: The Arthurian Legend in Medieval German Literature and Life (University of Wales Press - Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages) [Paperback]

S. A. Ranawake (Editor), W. H. Jackson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0708317766 | ISBN-13: 978-0708317761 | Publication Date: July 2, 2002

From the twelfth century onwards the legends of King Arthur and his knights, including the Tristan legend, spread across Europe, producing a vast range of adaptations and new stories. German and Dutch literature were of central importance in this expansion of Arthurian material from the twelfth to sixteenth century, contributing works of outstanding aesthetic quality and a lively process of reception, adaptation and transmission in which the Arthurian subject matter underwent various modifications in contact with northern and central European traditions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“ . . . the reader is presented with a vast scope of Arthuriana in the German and Dutch literature, along with the Czech (Bohemian) literature (Alfred Thomas), an area, mostly ignored by other scholars. The other pleasant feature proves to be the editors’ willingness to incorporate the representatives from the late Middle Ages, recognizing them as being as important as those from the high Middle Ages . . . the reader is well served with a volume of excellent articles written by outstanding German and British medievalists. The authors have successfully summarized our current knowledge and presented it in a highly readable and pleasant manner.” –Stvdi Medievali

(Stvdi Medievali )

“An exemplary contribution to an important series of survey volumes, this collection of nineteen essays with a substantial, genuinely synthesising introduction offers a magisterial overview of Arthurian literature . . . This rich and reliable synthesis will be an essential orientation and reference for student and scholarly readers.” –Forum for Modern Language Studies

(Forum for Modern Language Studies )

“The editors and contributors to this enterprise have produced a volume with wide appeal; it is essential for specialists in medieval German literature, but it provides a valuable introduction to the material for a much wider audience, including specialists in other areas of medieval literature. Specialists in French literature, for instance, will find fascinating the evidence for the reception of France romance. In addition to these specialised audiences, the collection will be extremely useful to amateurs, giving them solid information and good orientation in complex material” –Folklore

(Folklore )

“The inclusive nature of this collection leads to a broader base and to new insights on the corpus of texts examined. The volume fulfils not only the goals of the series but also opens additional paths for future investigations in Arthurian studies.” –Monatshefte

(Monatshefte )

“ . . . it is a great pleasure to find a work of outstanding scholarship so well presented: binding, paper, design, all meet the high standards of the past. In content, too, the work is comprehensive and readable, convincing us that we are enjoying the fruits of the latest conjectures and discoveries.” --www.gwales.com

(www.gwales.com )

About the Author

W. H. Jackson is Senior Lecturer in German at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of Chivalry in Twelfth-Century Germany: the Works of Hartmann von Aue (1994). Silvia Ranawake is Professor of German at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. Her most recent book is an edition of the work of Walther von der Vogelweide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: University of Wales Press (July 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0708317766
• ISBN-13: 978-0708317761
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,540,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)