Rewriting the Middle Ages in the Twentieth Century, Vol. II: National Traditions

"The first volume of Rewriting the Middle Ages in the Twentieth Century, published in 2005 by Brepols, gathered twenty profiles of key medievalists of the 20th century, and was preceded by an introduction on the evolution and. current situation of medieval studies written by Jaume Aurell. Because of the excellent international reception of that volume, we continue this historiographical task by collecting in future volumes profiles of other 20th century medievalists. The second volume of the collection, centred on "National Traditions", is focused on eighteen medievalists who have been significant in diverse countries in the development of both medievalism and national identity. Medievalism has been closely united to national traditions since its beginning, and this book contributes to our understanding of this phenomenon. Romantic intellectuals' attraction to the medieval period largely explains the influence of medievalism in the formation of contemporary national identities, as from the 19th century, medievalists have also functioned as intellectuals present in the public debate. In the 20th century, important scholars of the Middle Ages, some of whom are studied in this volume, had already become authentic "national chroniclers", consolidators of the identities of the countries to which they felt closely linked both intellectually and emotionally. They actively participated in debates that exceeded strictly academic limits, delving into a wide range of political and cultural issues. The range of the cultural and geographical origins of the medievalists profiled in this volume - from England, Spain, France, Germany, Russia, Portugal, Romania, Poland, Argentina, Bulgaria, United States, Belgium, Holland, and Turkey - best illustrates the global influence of medievalism in the construction, invention, and consolidation of national traditions. This focus, which perhaps (and apparently) contravenes the actual strength of the process of globalisation, is especially fascinating in the field of medievalism, because most of the modern nations - specially those in Europe and Asia - have found their justification, inspiration, and legendary and historical foundations in the Middle Ages. By reading the lives of these medievalists, we can better understand the development of intellectual history and our notions of developing cultural traditions."--P. [4] of cover Front matter (“Contents”, “Editorial Note”), p. 1 Introduction: Modern Medievalism and National Traditions, p. 9 Jaume Aurell Alan Forey (1933), p. 15 Malcolm Barber, Maria Bonet C.S. Lewis (1898–1963), p. 41 Andrew Breeze Mercedes Gaibrois (1891–1960), p. 51 Ana del Campo Hans-Robert Jauss (1921–1997), p. 83 Luis Galván Steven Runciman (1903–2000), p. 107 Luis García-Guijarro Américo Castro (1885–1972), p. 139 E. Michael Gerli Aaron Gourevitch (1924–2006), p. 161 Catalina Girbea A.H. de Oliveira Marques (1933–2007), p. 183 Judite A. Gonçalves de Freitas Virgil Vătăşianu (1902–1993), p. 207 Ana Maria Gruia Andrzej Wędzki (1927), p. 225 Ryszard Grzesik José Luis Romero (1909–1977), p. 253 Ariel Guiance Fritz Kern (1884–1950), p. 281 Faustino Martínez Martínez Vasil Zlatarski (1866–1935), p. 309 Nadejda Miladinova J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973), p. 327 Eugenio M. Olivares Merino Henry Charles Lea (1825–1909), p. 371 Julia Pavón Edgar de Bruyne (1898–1959), p. 397 Ricardo Piñero Johan Huizinga (1872–1945), p. 419 Alfons Puigarnau Mehmed Fuad Köprülü (1890–1966), p. 485 Şevket Yıldız Back matter (“Notes on Contributors”), p. 515 "Rewriting the Middle Ages in the Twentieth Century offers analytical introductions to the biographical and academic trajectories as well as the scholarly contributions of the most important medievalists of the 20th century, privileging the contexts in which their influential texts in modern medieval studies were articulated and their effect on subsequent approaches to the field. The volume pays tribute to the medievalists - historians, philologists, literary critics, philosophers, historians of art and science, and theologians - whose work effectively forged contemporary academics and acknowledges a debt of gratitude for the trail they blazed in the twentieth century."--V. 1 BOOK JACKET