French Mediaeval Romances: From the Lays of Marie de France, with a retelling of the Lay of the Werewolf [Annotated]

by Marie de France, Mark Lord, Eugene Mason (Translator)

This edition features a retelling of the Lay of the Werewolf (Bisclavret) by Mark Lord and a New Select Bibliography for the modern student.

Eugene Mason's translation of Marie de France Breton lais is a classic of medieval literature. This edition brings you all twelve of Marie's lais to the modern reader in English prose translation. Marie de France's stories are amongst the best examples of medieval literature, and are important source material for the Arthurian legends, and the medieval legends of Brittany and France.

Here you will find brave nights, beautiful damsels and feats of chivalry. This edition is a must have for any student of medieval literature or anyone who loves tales of medieval adventure and legend.

Genres: Classics

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2011

About the author

Marie de France ("Mary of France", around 1135-1200) was a poet evidently born in France and living in England during the late 12th century. Virtually nothing is known of her early life, though she wrote a form of continental French[citation needed:] that was copied by Anglo-Norman scribes. Therefore, most of the manuscripts of her work bear Anglo-Norman traits. She also translated some Latin literature and produced an influential version of Aesop's Fables.

Reviews

[Jack Lyell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tragically I have no damn clue if this is the right version or not. What I can tell you is that Marie de France is brilliant, witty, and really good at writing stories which involve birds. Also a werewolf story where a king vibes with a werewolf for a solid few years before the werewolf meets up with his ex who got him stuck as a wolf permanently and attacks her, and the king says, "no man, my dog is cool, did you piss my dog off?" Love this take on a werewolf. Lay of Yonec is also a great one, and Lay of the Nightingale, these two being the Bird Ones. Most of these are just really proficient tellings of things which hover between folk and fairy-tale, with an emphasis on the rules, boundaries, forbidden loves, and secrets which must not be revealed which abound in fairy-tale. Overall just a lovely collection.

[Ron Me]

Very good if you like the medieval romance. Indirectly tells a lot about the culture and beliefs of the High Middle Ages. There is also an interesting story of the ancestry of Saladin.

[Bernie4444 · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Mediaeval Romances

I came to this book sort of through the back door. I was watching a course that I bought on the Western Canon by Harold Bloom. The professor was explaining why Marie de France was included.

Even though there are many ladies of Marie de France, my first intent was only to read “The Lay of The Werewolf.” Because this was in hand, I could not help myself but read the whole book.

If the story sounds familiar is probably because they are all sorts of Carl Jung - Archetypes; by substituting names these stories are even similar to those I read of the different Southwest United States Native Americans.

For me, there is no danger in reading this book. However, the book is also used to help French students with translation. When I studied German instructor said that he also had learned German through reading and translating the classics. His first trip to Germany was very successful and people understood what he was saying. However, a lady with a young kid pointed to him and told the kid that he spoke classic ancient German very well.

Translated by Eugene Mason (1862 – 1935)
With a new select bibliography for today’s students
And a retelling of the Lay of the Werewolf (Bisclavert) by Mark Lord

The originals of the narratives are to be found in Roquefort’s edition of the Poésies de Marie de France; and a volume of Nouvelles Franςoises en Prose, edited by Moland and D’Héricault; and in M. Gaston Raynaud’s text of La Chatelaine de Vergi.

Contains:
The Lay of Gugemar
The Lay of the Dolorous Knight
The Lay of Eliduc
The Lay of the Nightingale
The lay of Sir Launfal
The lay of Two Lovers
The lay of the Werewolf
The lay of Milon
The lay of Yonex
The lay of the Thorn
The lay of Graelent
A Story of Beyond the Sea
The Chatelaine of Vergi
Bisclavert (The Werewolf): A short story by Mark Lord (2010)

[Frank M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. It's 17 short stories about knights, maidens, kings and queens. The stories taken form minstrel songs,

[Avis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slay queen
Genuinely coming to love courtly love. Marie De France is an excellent writer and I will abide by her wishes, and remember her.

[Bernie4444 · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Mediaeval Romances

I came to this book sort of through the back door. I was watching a course that I bought on the Western Canon by Harold Bloom. The professor explained why Marie de France was included.

Even though there are many ladies of Marie de France, my first intent was only to read “The Lay of The Werewolf.” Because this was in hand, I could not help myself but read the whole book.

If the story sounds familiar is probably because they are all sort of Carl Jung - Archetypes; by substituting names these stories are even similar to those I read of the different Southwest United States Native Americans.

For me, there is no danger in reading this book. However, the book is also used to help French students in translation. When I studied German instructor said that he also had learned German through reading and translating the classics. His first trip to Germany was very successful and people understood what he was saying. However, a lady with a young kid pointed to him and told the kid that he spoke classic ancient German very well.

Translated by Eugene Mason (1862 – 1935)
With a new select bibliography for today’s students
And a retelling of the Lay of the Werewolf (Bisclavert) by Mark Lord

The originals of the narratives are to be found in Roquefort’s edition of the Poésies de Marie de France; and a volume of Nouvelles Franςoises en Prose, edited by Moland and D’Héricault; and in M. Gaston Raynaud’s text of La Chatelaine de Vergi.

Contains:
The Lay of Gugemar
The Lay of the Dolorous Knight
The Lay of Eliduc
The Lay of the Nightingale
The lay of Sir Launfal
The Lay of Two Lovers
The Lay of the Werewolf
The lay of Milon
The lay of Yonex
The lay of the Thorn
The lay of Graelent
A Story of Beyond the Sea
The Chatelaine of Vergi
Bisclavert (The Werewolf): A short story by Mark Lord (2010)

[Maryjane Nordgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

i can picture travellers huddled as near as they can get to the large, open fireplace to hear tales based on such a different code of values from ours of the twenty-first century--or, come to think on it, perhaps not so different as we still value wealth and welcome betrayal