دانلود کتاب Artus de Bretaigne: a critical and literary study [thesis]

This thesis is a study of a fourteenth century French romance of chivalry which has yet has had no full-length work of scholar-ship devoted to it. All previous articles and references to the romance have been gathered, together, and previous theories as to the date and authorship are discussed. The primary sources, i.e. manuscripts and early printed editions, are described, and for the first time the earliest manuscripts are dated with as much precision as poasible in order to establish a terminus ad quem for the composition of the romance. The various versions of the romance presented by the different manuscripts are analysed and reasons are given for accepting one of them as the original version. From internal evidence it is suggested that the probable date of composition was 1296--1312, which accords well with the date of the earliest manuscripts, executed during the period 1320--40. The previous terminus ad quam for the romance was 1365. Since no text of this unedited work is obtainable, a detailed summary is given; thus the literary study which follows is made more clear to the reader, The literary study consists of three essays, dealing with three, separate aspects of the romance. By studying the Ethos and Aims, the Composition arid Literary Qualities and the Source and Analogues it is hoped to demonstrate that the romance is very characteristic of its time both in its subject matter and in the methods of composition which the author uses. It is also incidentally a valuable social document and provides an illuminating insight into the mentality of the fourteenth century.