The Lays of Marie de France
122 pages, 5 x 8
Paperback
Release Date:01 Apr 2013
ISBN:9781927356357
The twelve “lays” of Marie de France, the earliest known
French woman poet, are here presented in sprightly English verse by
poet/translator David R. Slavitt. These old Breton folk tales were the
raw material for Marie de France’s series of lively but profound
considerations of love, life, death, fidelity and betrayal, and luck
and fate. They are acute observations about the different kinds of
choices women make, startling in the late twelfth century and
challenging even today. The lays, which combine a woman’s wisdom
with an impressive technical bravura, are a minor treasure of European
culture.
French woman poet, are here presented in sprightly English verse by
poet/translator David R. Slavitt. These old Breton folk tales were the
raw material for Marie de France’s series of lively but profound
considerations of love, life, death, fidelity and betrayal, and luck
and fate. They are acute observations about the different kinds of
choices women make, startling in the late twelfth century and
challenging even today. The lays, which combine a woman’s wisdom
with an impressive technical bravura, are a minor treasure of European
culture.
RELATED TOPICS:
European History, Gender & Sexuality Studies, History, Literature, Poetry, Women's Studies
David R. Slavitt is a widely known poet, novelist,critic, and translator. He prepared these English versions of the laysof Marie de France because he loved them.
Foreword- vii
THE LAYS OF MARIE DE FRANCE
Prologue- 3
I. Guigemar
I. Guigemar- 5
II. Equitan- 27
III. Le Fresne- 35
IV. Bisclavret- 47
V. Lanval- 55
VI. The Two Lovers- 71
VII. Yonec- 77
VIII. Laüstic- 89
IX. Milun- 93
X. Chaitivel- 105
XI. Chevrefoil- 111
XII. Eliduc- 115
For Further Reading- 147
