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May 24, 2005
Ah, Fabliaux - Dirty Stories in Foreign Tongues
One of the only consolations in this April-of-a-late-May has been reading fabliaux. I just finished powering through Gallic Salt, a great side-by-side English and Old French book. That way I can read the bawdy tale in English and check the French whenever it gets interesting.
I've blogged on this already, but the material is delightful -- full of grotesque bodies and philandering bourgeoises and clueless knights. Great stuff. On to Guillaume du Machaut! Le jugement dou roy de Behaingne is a great example of a querelle -- this one a question of "who is more miserable" between the Lady whose lover died and the Knight whose unfaithful lover deserted him. Don't tell me how it turns out! (Actually, I already know that it ends with a particularly luscious description of gifts given to the two quarrellers by the King of Bohemia after he renders his decision. I, of course, shallowly only really care about the jewels.).
Ah, the middle ages.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at May 24, 2005 5:20 PM