The Fables of Marie de France.
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Authors
Marie
Martin, Mary Lou
Issue Date
1984
Type
Book, Whole
Language
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Alternative Title
Abstract
A good straightforward bilingual translation giving English prose for Marie's French verse. This work got me going to do a careful reading of all of Marie's fables for the first time. Use it with Spiegel's 1987 verse translation. The good introduction emphasizes Marie's sympathy with the plight of the poor. She has a strong sense of justice generally. I notice a frequent return to questions of the use of power by the powerful and of faithfulness to the lord by those without power. She seems determined to find the meaning of many fables in their application to the poor, e.g., in #38. Most fables get about an eight-line moral/application; some get none. I find Marie rather preachy. I continue to have some problems with the aptness of her morals. AI on 257.
Description
Citation
Publisher
Summa Publications