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The Gift of Narrative in Medieval England

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Gift of Narrative in Medieval England investigates medieval romance through the lens of gift and exchange theories, revealing how storytelling, agency, gender, and materiality interplay in these tales. From the twelfth to the fifteenth century, Nicholas Perkins explores object and human exchanges, cycles of love, loyalty, revenge, and promises, along with the impact of time on these dynamics. The study includes detailed analyses of works by Chaucer, the Gawain-Poet, and romances found in the Auchinleck Manuscript, offering fresh perspectives on medieval literature and its cultural contexts.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$12100

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for students and scholars of medieval literature and culture, as well as readers interested in the intersections of anthropology, literature, and medieval romance narratives.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

This critical study of medieval English romances uses ideas from anthropology and critical theories of the gift to shed light on narratives ranging from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. Written in a style accessible for students as well as scholars, it engages with questions about storytelling, agency, gender and material objects.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This invigorating study places medieval romance narrative in dialogue with theories and practices of gift and exchange, opening new approaches to questions of storytelling, agency, gender and materiality in some of the most engaging literature from the Middle Ages.

It argues that the dynamics of the gift are powerfully at work in romances: through exchanges of objects and people; repeated patterns of love, loyalty and revenge; promises made or broken; and the complex effects that time works on such objects, exchanges and promises.

Ranging from the twelfth century to the fifteenth, and including close discussions of poetry by Chaucer, the Gawain-Poet and romances in the Auchinleck Manuscript, The Gift of Narrative in Medieval England will prompt new ideas and debate amongst students and scholars of medieval literature, as well as anyone curious about the pleasures that romance narratives bring.

Series: Manchester Medieval Literature and Culture

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Medieval Review praises Perkins for his deep engagement with anthropological thought and his skilful integration of diverse theoretical frameworks. The book is commended for its close textual analysis and thoughtful reflection, promising to inspire further scholarship and debate. Reviewers highlight the engaging and well-informed approach to gift giving and reciprocity, noting the unique focus on genre and the interaction between text form and audience.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526167163

Publisher: Manchester University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 January 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Manchester University Press

Illustration: 4 black & white illustrations

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 331g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Nicholas Perkins is Associate Professor and Tutor in English at St Hugh's College, University of Oxford

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