Authentically medieval : authors and scholars on depicting the Middle Ages in fiction / edited by Debra E. Best, Elizabeth L. Rambo and Patricia H. Ward.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Best, Debra Elizabeth, editor.

Rambo, Elizabeth L., 1954- editor.

Ward, Patricia H., 1956- editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Middle Ages in literature.

Medievalism in literature.

American fiction--20th century--History and criticism.

American fiction.

American fiction--21st century--History and criticism.

Genre:

Literary criticism.

Essays.

Physical Description:

x, 178 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2024]

Summary:

"This collection compiles essays by medieval scholars on novels depicting the Middle Ages, examining the extent to which writers can authentically represent the period while meeting the challenge of creating engaging literature. The works discussed represent a variety of genres by authors with formal training in the history and literature of the Middle Ages (with the exception of two admirably self-trained contributors), including historical, young adult, detective, and fantasy genres, as well as adaptations of Beowulf and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Opening the collection are three essays by author-scholars who share their processes of creating an authentic medieval world appealing to a wide audience. The remaining seven essays by medievalist scholars examine a variety of medieval texts, addressing the extent to which their authors adhere to the facts of the period, while at times necessarily fudging the facts and filling in historical gaps in creating their works"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction / Debra E. Best, Patricia H. Ward, and Elizabeth L. Rambo

A nun, a werewolf and a Medievalist walk into a romance novel: writing fantasy Medievalism / Emily Lavin Leverett

Riding with Chaucer on the bus of anachronism: modernizing the Canterbury Tales / Kim Zarins

"God's elbows, boy, don't burn me with the facts": faithful revisionism in the "Merlin Mysteries" series / Jay Ruud

Mind the gaps: world-building in Rebecca Barnhouse's The Coming of the Dragon and Peaceweaver / Patricia H. Ward

"Her life was no heroic adventure of daring and greatness": Susan Signe Morrison's Grendel's Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife and the hidden violence of Beowulf / Alison Gulley

Player Chaucer's game in Paul Doherty's Canterbury Tales series / M. Wendy Hennequin

The fantasy space of Medieval history: authenticity in Bruce Holsinger's A Burnable Book / Debra E. Best

Justice as women's work in the novels of Candace Robb / Teresa Marie Hooper

Nuns and nun-sense: recreating Medieval spirituality in the Dame Frevisse novels of Margaret Frazer / Josephine A. Koster

Accidental Medievalist: Dorothy Dunnett and King Hereafter / Elizabeth L. Rambo and Heike Meyer.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781476688558

1476688559

OCLC:

1451522157

Publisher Number:

90100958581