Wace's Roman de Brut, a history of the British : text and translation

Bibliographic Information

Wace's Roman de Brut, a history of the British : text and translation

Judith Weiss

(Exeter medieval English texts and studies)

University of Exeter Press, 1999

  • : pbk

Other Title

Roman de Brut, a history of the British

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Note

Parallel English and Old French text. Introduction and notes in English

"The right of Judith Weiss to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordnce with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988."--T.p. verso

Bibliography: p. 374-378

Includes index of names

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Wace's "Brut" is an 1155 French verse rendering of Geoffrey of Monmouth's earlier Latin "history" of Britain, from the time of Brutus, the eponymous founder, to the 7th century. It includes the Arthurian legend, with the first appearance of the Round Table and an unambiguously guilty Guinevere. This is an English translation and is presented in parallel with the French text. Wace uses Geoffrey's earlier stories, such as those of King Lear and King Arthur, with a lively inventiveness and originality, drawing on oral sources and his own knowledge of parts of Britain, imaginatively re-interpreting his material: his Guinevere is decidedly involved in Arthur's downfall, and his St Augustine endows the inhabitants of Colchester with tails. He presents a dramatically recurrent pattern of great achievements undercut by domestic treachery and national weakness.

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