Criticism of the Court and the Evil King in the Middle Ages: Literary-Historical Analyses (Studies in Medieval Literature)

by: Albrecht Classen (Author)

Publisher: Lexington Books

Publication Date: 2024/5/29

Language: English

Print Length: 300 pages

ISBN-10: 1666941212

ISBN-13: 9781666941210

Book Description

Criticism of the Court and the Evil King in the Middle Ages: Literary-Historical Analyses, identifies and discusses the discourse focused on the criticism of the court, specifically of the king, across medieval Europe. Tracing its development from the tenth through the fifteenth centuries, chapters examine Icelandic sagas, Old Spanish heroic epic poetry, courtly romances, early mode French and German prose novels, and late medieval short verse and prose narratives as well as the work of medieval critics such as John of Salisbury and Marsilius of Padua. Albrecht Classen explores how the writers used their craft creatively and covertly to voice harsh criticism of the ruling class and unearths a deep distrust of kings and other authority figures during the Middle Ages.

About the Author

Criticism of the Court and the Evil King in the Middle Ages: Literary-Historical Analyses, identifies and discusses the discourse focused on the criticism of the court, specifically of the king, across medieval Europe. Tracing its development from the tenth through the fifteenth centuries, chapters examine Icelandic sagas, Old Spanish heroic epic poetry, courtly romances, early mode French and German prose novels, and late medieval short verse and prose narratives as well as the work of medieval critics such as John of Salisbury and Marsilius of Padua. Albrecht Classen explores how the writers used their craft creatively and covertly to voice harsh criticism of the ruling class and unearths a deep distrust of kings and other authority figures during the Middle Ages.