Le Roman de Tristan en prose I

`The publication of this book is an event of some importance in Arthurian studies. The Prose Tristanwas one of the most widely read works in medieval France; written between 1215 and 1235, it continued to be copied until the end of the Middle Ages and its popularity lasted another hundred years in printed editions. It was in fact in prose rather than in poetic form that the legend was known - Dr Curtis is to be warmly congratulated on undertaking this important task.' ERASMUS [BRIAN WOLEDGE]This three volume critical edition of the Prose Tristan, based on a complete collation of all the manuscripts with the Carpentras manuscript (404), is the first edition of this important medieval work ever published. Renee Curtis's three-volume critical edition of the Prose Tristanis the only edition of this very important medieval work ever published; until the first volume (now reprinted with corrections) appeared in 1963, the work was only accessible in the form of a few fragments which had been edited and a summary of the romance made by E. Loeseth in 1891. Dr Curtis's edition is based on a complete collation of all the manuscripts, and this led her to choose the Carpentras manuscript (404) as the basis of her edition. Professor Brian Woledge, the eminent medievalist, wrote of this first volume in Erasmus:`The publication of this book is an event of some importance in Arthurian studies. The Prose Tristanwas one of the most widely read works in medieval France; written between 1215 and 1235, it continued to be copied until the end of the Middle Ages and its popularity lasted another hundred years in printed editions. It was in fact in prose rather than in poetic form that the legend was known -Dr Curtis is to be warmly congratulated on undertaking this important task.'