Shaping Courtliness in Medieval France: Essays in Honor of Matilda Tomaryn Bruckner (Gallica)

The question of what medieval "courtliness" was, both as a literary influence and as a historical "reality", is debated in this volume. The concept of courtliness forms the theme of this collection of essays. Focused on works written in the Francophone world between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, they examine courtliness as both an historical privilege and a literary ideal, and as a concept that operated on and was informed by complex social and economic realities. Several essays reveal how courtliness is subject to satire or is the subject of exhortation in works intended for noblemen and women, not to mention ambitious bourgeois. Others, more strictly literary in their focus, explore the witty, thoughtful and innovative responses of writers engaged in the conscious process of elevating the new vernacular culture through the articulation of its complexities and contradictions. The volume as a whole, uniting philosophical, theoretical, philological, and cultural approaches, demonstrates that medieval "courtliness" is an ideal that fascinates us to this day. It is thus a fitting tribute to the scholarship of Matilda Tomaryn Bruckner, in its exploration of the prrofound and wide-ranging ideas that define her contribution to the field. List of Illustrations ix Acknowledgements xi Introduction / Daniel E. O’Sullivan and Laurie Shepard 1 Matilda Tomaryn Bruckner: A Bibliography 15 Part I. Shaping Real and Fictive Courts A Perfume of Reality? Desublimating the Courtly / Peter Haidu 25 Shaping the Case: the 'Olim' and the Parlement de Paris under King Louis IX / Donald Maddox 47 Charles d’Orléans and the Wars of the Roses: Yorkist and Tudor Implications of British Library MS Royal 16 F ii / Michel-André Bossy 61 Part II. Shaping Courtly Narrative 'Meraugis de Portlesguez' and the Limits of Courtliness / Kristin Burr 83 The Art of 'Transmutation' in the Burgundian Prose 'Cligés' (1454): Bringing the Siege of Windsor Castle to Life for the Court of Philip the Good / Joan Tasker Grimbert 95 Thomas’s 'Raisun': Désir, Vouloir, Pouvoir / David Hult 107 Humanimals: The Future of Courtliness in the 'Conte du Papegau' / Virginie Greene 123 A Matter of Life or Death: Fecundity and Sterility in Marie de France’s 'Guigemar' / Logan Whalen 139 'Le Roman de la Rose', Performed in Court / Evelyn Birge Vitz 151 III. Shaping Women’s Voices in Medieval France Lombarda’s Mirrors: Reflections on PC 288,1 as a Response to PC 54,1 / Elizabeth W. Poe 165 Na Maria: Courtliness and Marian Devotion in Old Occitan Lyric / Daniel E. O’Sullivan 183 From Convent to Court: Ermengarde d’Anjou’s Decision to Reenter the World / William Schenck 201 From Chrétien to Christine: Translating Twelfth-Century Literature to Reform the French Court during the Hundred Years War / Nadia Margolis 213 IV. Shaping the Courtly Other The Favorable Reception of Outsiders at Court: Medieval Versions of Cultural Exchange / Laine Doggett 229 Shaping Saladin: Courtly Men Dressed in Silk / E. Jane Burns 241 'Force de parole': Shaping Courtliness in Richard de Fournival’s 'Bestiaire d’amours', Copied in Metz about 1312 (Oxford, Bodl. MS Douce 308) / Nancy Freeman Regalado 255 The Poetic Legacy of Charles d’Anjou in Italy: The Poetics of Nobility in the 'Comune' / Laurie Shepard 271 Envoi / Sarah White 285 List of Contributors 287 Index 291 Tabula Gratulatoria 297 Madelyn Tomaryn Bruckner : A Bibliography -- A Perfume Of Reality? Desublimating The Courtly / Peter Haidu -- Shaping The Case : The Olim And The Parlement De Paris Under King Louis Ix / Donald Maddox -- Charles D'orléans And The Wars Of The Roses : Yorkist And Tudor Implications Of British Library Ms Royal 16 F Ii / Michael-andré Bossy -- Meraugis De Portlesguez And The Limits Of Courtliness / Kristin Burr -- The Art Of Transmutation In The Burgundian Prose Cligés (1454) : Bringing The Siege Of Windsor Castle To Life For The Court Of Philip The Good / Joan Tasker Grimbert -- Thomas's Raisun : Désir, Vouloir, Pouvoir / David Hult -- Humanimals : The Future Of Courtliness In The Conte Du Papegau / Virginie Greene -- A Matter Of Life Or Death : Fecundity And Sterility In Marie De France's Guigemar / Logan Whalen -- Le Roman De La Rose, Performed In Court / Evelyn Birge Vitz -- Lombarda's Mirrors : Relections On Pc 288,1 As A Response To Pc 54,1 / Elizabeth W. Poe -- Na Maria : Courtliness And Marian Devotion In Old Occitan Lyric / Daniel E. O'sullivan -- From Convent To Court : Ermengarde D/anjou's Decision To Reenter The World / William Schenck -- From Chrétien To Christine : Translating Twelfth-century Literature To Reform The French Court During The Hundred Years War / Nadia Margolis -- The Favorable Reception Of Outsiders At Court : Medieval Versions Of Cultural Exchange / Laine Doggett -- Shaping Saladin : Courtly Men Dressed In Silk / E. Jane Burns -- Force De Parole : Shaping Courtliness In Richard De Fournival's Bestiare D'amours, Copied In Metz About 1312 (oxford, Bodl. Ms Douce 308) / Nancy Freeman Regalado -- The Poetic Legacy Of Charles D'anjou In Italy : The Poetics Of Nobility In The Comune / Laurie Shepard -- Envoi / Sarah White. Edited By Daniel E. O'sullivan And Laurie Shepard. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The question of what medieval'courtliness'was, both as a literary influence and as a historical'reality', is debated in this volume.The concept of courtliness forms the theme of this collection of essays. Focused on works written in the Francophone world between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, they examine courtliness as both an historical privilege and aliterary ideal, and as a concept that operated on and was informed by complex social and economic realities. Several essays reveal how courtliness is subject to satire or is the subject of exhortation in works intended for noblemen and women, not to mention ambitious bourgeois. Others, more strictly literary in their focus, explore the witty, thoughtful and innovative responses of writers engaged in the conscious process of elevating the new vernacular culture through the articulation of its complexities and contradictions. The volume as a whole, uniting philosophical, theoretical, philological, and cultural approaches, demonstrates that medieval'courtliness'is an ideal that fascinates us to this day. It is thus a fitting tribute to the scholarship of Matilda Tomaryn Bruckner, in its exploration of the prrofound and wide-ranging ideas that define her contribution to the field. DANIEL E O'SULLIVAN is Associate Professor of French at the University of Mississippi; LAURIE SHEPHARD is Associate Professor of Italian at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Contributors: Peter Haidu, Donald Maddox, Michel-André Bossy, Kristin Burr, Joan Tasker Grimbert, David Hult, Virgine Greene, Logan Whalen, Evelyn Birge Vitz, Elizabeth W. Poe, Daniel E. O'Sullivan, William Schenck, Nadia Margolis, Laine Doggett, E. Jane Burns, Nancy FreemanRegalado, Laurie Shephard, Sarah White