Synopses & Reviews
This book casts new light on the life and work of François Villon, one of the most famous but least understood poets of the later Middle Ages. Traditionally Villon has been viewed by scholars as an alienated outsider in his own time, whose work was in many respects derivative and commonplace. Jane Taylor instead points to the flair and originality of Villon's poetry, and the urgency and brilliance of his poetic dialogue with his predecessors and contemporaries.
Review
"...Jane Taylor deserves praise for her wide marshaling of primary and secondary sources, her stimulating arguments, and her meticulous and sensitive reading of these challenging poems." SPECULUM"keen literary criticism, revealing linguistic-poetic-prosodic analysis, insightful codicological assessments...the study will serve as an invaluable resorce for advanced graduate students and researchers" CHOICE Dec 2001
Synopsis
ois Villon and his relationship to his predecessors and contemporaries.
Synopsis
This book casts new light on the work of François Villon, one of the most famous but least understood poets of the later Middle Ages. Jane Taylor points to the flair and originality of Villon's poetry, and the urgency and brilliance of his poetic dialogue with his predecessors and contemporaries.
About the Author
Jane Taylor is a fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, and lecturer in French at Oxford University.
Table of Contents
Preface; Introduction; 1. Painted eloquence and serious games; 2. 'Dancing in a maske': constructing identity in the Testament; 3. Spoken by men of old: the Ballades du temps jadis; 4. Love well weighed up: Villon's Belle Hëaulmiere; 5. Keenness of observation: Les contredictz de Franc Gontier; 6. The name of a man: La Ballade de la Grosse Margot; 7. Pomegranates in flower: Ballade pour Robert d'Estouteville; Conclusion; Too many Villons; Notes; Bibliography; Index.