This book deals with a fascinating, but largely neglected, area of late medieval Icelandic literature: the indigenous prose romances, generally known as riddarasogur (i.e. sagas of knights), a group of some 30 sagas composed in Iceland from the late 13th or early 14th century onwards. These sagas take place in an exotic (non-Scandinavian), vaguely chivalric, milieu and are characterized by the extensive use of foreign motifs and a strong supernatural or fabulous element. Although the riddarasogur are clearly modeled on ...
Read More
This book deals with a fascinating, but largely neglected, area of late medieval Icelandic literature: the indigenous prose romances, generally known as riddarasogur (i.e. sagas of knights), a group of some 30 sagas composed in Iceland from the late 13th or early 14th century onwards. These sagas take place in an exotic (non-Scandinavian), vaguely chivalric, milieu and are characterized by the extensive use of foreign motifs and a strong supernatural or fabulous element. Although the riddarasogur are clearly modeled on continental chivalric romances and are influenced by the 'translated' riddarasogur (in terms of subject matter, style, and ethos), that debt tends to be limited largely to the surface attributes of romance - typically, princes on quests in exotic foreign lands which ultimately bring material rewards, noble brides, and the acquisition of new kingdoms. Contrary to European chivalric romance, however, the Icelandic riddarasogur manifest a substantial debt to medieval encyclopedic and historiographical traditions. One effect of this is to bring an element of 'biculturalism' to the textual landscapes of the riddarasogur, which suggests that their authors, and, by implication, their audiences, were familiar with both learned tradition and traditional lore, and accustomed to moving back and forth between them in creative literary composition. The author, Geraldine Barnes, has written extensively on the riddarasogur throughout her long career. The book represents the culmination of Barnes's work in this area and presents an interesting 'take' on the riddarasogur, focusing on their learned or 'bookish' elements. (Series: The Viking Collection: Studies in Northern Civilization - Vol. 21)
Read Less
Add this copy of Bookish Riddarasăgur to cart. $26.53, new condition, Sold by Paperbackshop rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bensenville, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by University Press of S. Denmark.
Add this copy of The Bookish Riddarasogur: Writing Romance in Late to cart. $36.68, new condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 2014 by University Press of Southern Denmark.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Num Pages: 211 pages. BIC Classification: DSBB. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 152 x 224 x 18. Weight in Grams: 410. 2014. Hardcover.....We ship daily from our Bookshop.
Add this copy of The Bookish Riddarasogur: Writing Romance in Late to cart. $38.81, new condition, Sold by Booksplease rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Southport, MERSEYSIDE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by University Press of Southern Denmark.
