Women and war in the Old French Troy tradition : literary and artistic representations of female agency in the Romans d'antiquitĂ©
The Old French romans dâantiquitĂ© (the Roman de ThĂšbes, the Roman de Troie, and the Roman dâEnĂ©as) are often admired for their depiction of war, this being a focal concern of their respective narratives. However, the significant roles played by women in their representation of warfare are far less acknowledged. This thesis seeks to remedy that gap in the scholarship. The methodology is based on new philology, a gender studies approach, and new historicism. Attention is given not just to the romansâ texts but also to later manuscript copies and their illustrations as a way of interpreting the textsâ reception and value in the centuries after their composition. Chapter I considers the extent to which women were involved in the commissioning and patronage of the romans in the twelfth century and includes an analysis of manuscript traditions in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Chapter II provides an overview of the written sources of the romans and shows how the female characters differ from their classical antecedents. It examines the romansâ historical environment and identifies women with whom the texts can be connected and who may have helped influence the portrayal of the female characters.
Harwood, Sophie Victoria
Women and war in the Old French Troy tradition : literary and artistic representations of female agency in the Romans d'antiquitĂ©. The Old French romans dâantiquitĂ© (the Roman de ThĂšbes, the Roman de Troie, and the Roman dâEnĂ©as) are often admired for their depiction of war, this being a focal concern of their respective narratives. However, the significant roles played by women in their representation of warfare are far less acknowledged. This thesis seeks to remedy that gap in the scholarship. The methodology is based on new philology, a gender studies approach, and new historicism. Attention is given not just to the romansâ texts but also to later manuscript copies and their illustrations as a way of interpreting the textsâ reception and value in the centuries after their composition. Chapter I considers the extent to which women were involved in the commissioning and patronage of the romans in the twelfth century and includes an analysis of manuscript traditions in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Chapter II provides an overview of the written sources of the romans and shows how the female characters differ from their classical antecedents. It examines the romansâ historical environment and identifies women with whom the texts can be connected and who may have helped influence the portrayal of the female characters.
women war old french tradition literary artistic representation female agency romans old french roman roman roman roman often depiction war focal concern respective narrative however significant_role play woman representation warfare far_less acknowledged seek remedy gap scholarship base new philology gender study new historicism attention_give roman text also later manuscript copy illustration way_interpret texts reception value centuries composition considers_extent woman involve patronage roman include analysis manuscript_tradition provide_overview write_source roman show female_character differ classical antecedent examines roman historical environment identifies woman texts connect may_help influence portrayal female_character