An Introduction to Jean Bodel

Bringing the work of a highly influential

medieval French writer to English-speaking audiences for the first time

This

book explores the life and works of Jean Bodel, an influential author who lived

in twelfth-century Arras, France. A versatile poet, playwright, and epic writer

who established new genres such as fabliaux

and the mystery play, Bodel remains relatively unknown to Anglophone audiences.

Lynn Ramey

offers translations and summaries of works never published before in English

while delving into Bodel's historical and cultural context.

After

a brief introduction to the poet, Ramey highlights the stimulating and

cosmopolitan environment of Arras, considering the influence of the Crusades

and social movements in shaping Bodel's works. Next, Ramey provides an

extensive survey of all of Bodel's known writing across his prolific career by

genre, from his most well-known work, The

Play of Saint Nicholas (Le Jeu de

saint Nicolas), to his final piece, Farewell

(Les Cong?s), which offers important

insight into his diagnosis of leprosy toward the end of his life. Ramey

translates several pieces including pastourelles,

fabliaux, and selections from

the Song of the Saxons (Chanson des Saisnes). The book also includes

information on Bodel's sources, a chronology, and a glossary.

With much of the existing scholarship on Bodel only

available in French, this book bridges a gap in knowledge of the poet and

serves as a useful resource for both students and specialists. An Introduction to Jean Bodel allows a broader

audience to engage with the writer's wide-ranging work and contributions to

literary history.A

volume in the series New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and

Traditions, edited by R. Barton Palmer and Tison Pugh