Women Readers and the Ideology of Gender in Old French Verse Romance (Cambridge Studies in French) Book + PRICE WATCH * Amazon pricing is not included in price watch

Women Readers and the Ideology of Gender in Old French Verse Romance (Cambridge Studies in French) Book

This study challenges the view that all courtly literature promoted the social status of women. Unlike previous books which focused on knights, it starts from the perspective of the woman reader/listener. Using reader-response theory, feminist criticism and recent historical studies, it suggests that romances taught gender roles, often inviting readers to criticise and resist them.Read More

from£33.48 | RRP: £35.00
* Excludes Voucher Code Discount Also available Used from £505.35
  • Product Description

    This study focuses on the relationship between Old French verse romances and the women who formed a part of their audience, and challenges the commonly-held view that all courtly literature promoted the social welfare of the noblewomen to whom romances were dedicated or addressed. Using reader-response theory, feminist criticism and recent historical studies, Roberta Krueger provides close readings of a selection of texts, both well-known and less well-known, to show an intriguing variety of portrayals of women: misogynistic, idealizing and didactic. She suggests that romances not only taught their audiences idealized models of masculine and feminine behaviour (including a sophisticated underpinning of medieval women's loss of autonomy in the family, education and society during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries), but that many romances also invited their readers to criticise and to resist gender roles.

  • 052161936X
  • 9780521619363
  • Roberta L. Krueger
  • 17 February 2005
  • Cambridge University Press
  • Paperback (Book)
  • 360
  • 1st Pbk. Ed
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you click through any of the links below and make a purchase we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Click here to learn more.

Would you like your name to appear with the review?

We will post your book review within a day or so as long as it meets our guidelines and terms and conditions. All reviews submitted become the licensed property of www.find-book.co.uk as written in our terms and conditions. None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.

All form fields are required.