Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
New York : Pantheon Books, c1985.
Description
Recreates the life of William Marshal, the Earl of Pembroke from a thirteenth century poem and describes medieval daily life.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Poleaxe
This book is not a very good biography, of ANYONE, let alone William Marshall. Mr Duby relies too heavily on the Chanson de geste of William Marshall, a sort of life story comemorating the life of a famouse figure, encased in a giant poem, and paid for by that figure's family. Hardly a resource for
Mr Duby tends to stray from the subject of his book and venture into lectures of courtly life and fuedal obligations. I honestly do not believe that I learned one new thing about the life of William Marshal by reading this "biography".
If one wants to read a good book on this fascinating figure, they should pick up David Crouch's "William Marshal: Knighthood, War, and Chivalry, 1147-1219"
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accurate and detailed facts of one's life. Mr Duby tends to stray from the subject of his book and venture into lectures of courtly life and fuedal obligations. I honestly do not believe that I learned one new thing about the life of William Marshal by reading this "biography".
If one wants to read a good book on this fascinating figure, they should pick up David Crouch's "William Marshal: Knighthood, War, and Chivalry, 1147-1219"
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LibraryThing member goth_marionette
I began reading this book as background for a reenactment group that I am a member of. I was not expecting the book to be as readable and enjoyable as it proved to be. Rather than a dry list of names and dates the reader gets a glimpse into the life and times of one of the greatest knights. I would
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recommend this book to readers interested in the late 12th century of the life of a knight. Show Less
LibraryThing member jonfaith
Who is ever alone at the beginning of the thirteenth century but the mad, the possessed--marginal figures who are hunted down? An orderly world requires that each man remains swathed in a fabric of solidarities, of friendships, in a corps.
A few detractors of this text cite that Duby appears more
This dovetailed nicely with the Plantagenets book I'm reading, and it wasn't a bad way to spend a frozen Sunday. Despite being 153 pages, the text does require concentration as well as an awareness of the various royal houses of the time.
A few detractors of this text cite that Duby appears more
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concerned with "the age of chivalry" rather than the specifics of Marshall's life. I suppose you can't please everyone. This is an astonishing portrait of the intensely intricate and complex set of social relations in the late 1200/early 1300s. As society became more complex, a fixed monetary system apparently flourished and social mobility became an increasing reality. This wasn't an option for most folks in this milieu. Thus the code of knightly honor and courtly love. Each is actually a sober response to set of unfair circumstances. William Marshall embodied this code to a fanatical end, despite ongoing menace he maintained an unyielding loyalty and was actually rewarded. Yes, he was an exceptional warrior. He was also rather lucky, not least by a healthy constitution which allowed him to outlive most of his royals, especially those sporting crowns. This dovetailed nicely with the Plantagenets book I'm reading, and it wasn't a bad way to spend a frozen Sunday. Despite being 153 pages, the text does require concentration as well as an awareness of the various royal houses of the time.
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Subjects
Awards
French-American Foundation Translation Prize (Winner — 1987)
Language
Original language
French
Original publication date
1984
Physical description
155 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
0394543092 / 9780394543093
Other editions
William Marshall: The Flower of Chivalry by Georges Duby (Hardcover)