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Constructions of Childhood and Youth in Old French Narrative (Hardcover, New Ed)
Loot Price: R4,445
Discovery Miles 44 450
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Constructions of Childhood and Youth in Old French Narrative (Hardcover, New Ed)
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What do we know of medieval childhood? Were boundaries always clear
between childhood and young adulthood? Was medieval childhood
gendered? Scholars have been debating such questions over half a
century. Can evidence from imaginative literature test the
conclusions of historians? Phyllis Gaffney's innovative book
reveals contrast and change in the portrayal of childhood and youth
by looking at vernacular French narratives composed between 1100
and 1220. Covering over sixty poems from two major genres - epic
and romance - she traces a significant evolution. While early epics
contain only a few stereotypical images of the child, later verse
narratives display a range of arguably timeless motifs, as well as
a growing awareness of the special characteristics of youth.
Whereas juvenile epic heroes contribute to the adult agenda by
displaying precocious strength and wisdom, romance children are on
the receiving end, requiring guidance and education. Gaffney also
profiles the intriguing phenomenon of enfances poems, singing the
youthful deeds of established heroes: these 'prequels' combine epic
and romance features in distinctive ways. Approaching the history
of childhood and youth through the lens of literary genre, this
study shows how imaginative texts can both shape and reflect the
historical development and cultural construction of emotional
values.
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