Status
Checked out
Genres
Publication
W. W. Norton & Company (1980), Paperback, 192 pages
Description
This is the first twentieth-century study of the women troubadours who flourished in Southern France between 1150 and 1250--the great period of troubadour poetry. The book is comprised of a full-length essay on women in the Middle Ages, twenty-three poems by the women troubadours themselves in the original Provencal with translations on facing pages, a capsule biography of each poet, notes, and reading list.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Philosophercat
This book presents facing page translations of Provancale troubadour poetry by female troubadours.
I read this book several years ago when I was taking a senior undergrad course in medieval literature. The poetry was lively and evocative. The collection really suffers from its editor's handling. For
Lastly, while I cannot read Provancale, I can read Latin, and French. Along with a Spanish classmate of mine, I realised that the poetry was not translated properly. Consulting a professor, this was confirmed. The translation seems to have been skewed in order to support the editor's arguement regarding the differences of male and female troubadour poetry (a line: "...to have you in my naked arms" actually should read "to have you naked in my arms.")
I hope that someone produces a better edition of these poems.
I read this book several years ago when I was taking a senior undergrad course in medieval literature. The poetry was lively and evocative. The collection really suffers from its editor's handling. For
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instance, the introduction argues heavily that the work of the female troubadours is essentially different from that of their male counterparts- without including a single example. It was very frustrating for a student like me who has not read troubadour poetry before. Doing a little research, I found many troubadour poems by male poets that were very like those of these female poets. Lastly, while I cannot read Provancale, I can read Latin, and French. Along with a Spanish classmate of mine, I realised that the poetry was not translated properly. Consulting a professor, this was confirmed. The translation seems to have been skewed in order to support the editor's arguement regarding the differences of male and female troubadour poetry (a line: "...to have you in my naked arms" actually should read "to have you naked in my arms.")
I hope that someone produces a better edition of these poems.
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Subjects
Language
Physical description
192 p.; 0.48 inches
ISBN
0393009653 / 9780393009651
Local notes
poetry anthology