The Wars of Alexander
Published on 20. July 1989
Book
Hardback
460 pages
978-0-19-722410-6 (ISBN)
Description
The Wars of Alexander is a Middle English poem of the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century, preserved in part in two northern manuscripts, Bodley MS Ashmole 44 and Trinity College Dublin MS 213. It is based on the popular Latin account of Alexander the Great, the Historia de Preliis.
The quality of The Wars of Alexander has been widely recognized, but this is the first critical edition, taking account of the readings of the two manuscripts, the relationship of the poem to its source, and the poet's metrical practice. The introduction discusses the manuscripts, the different versions of the Latin source, the metre of the poem, its language and dialect, and the editorial principles employed. The text is accompanied by the variant readings. There are full explanatory notes and a comprehensive glossary.
The quality of The Wars of Alexander has been widely recognized, but this is the first critical edition, taking account of the readings of the two manuscripts, the relationship of the poem to its source, and the poet's metrical practice. The introduction discusses the manuscripts, the different versions of the Latin source, the metre of the poem, its language and dialect, and the editorial principles employed. The text is accompanied by the variant readings. There are full explanatory notes and a comprehensive glossary.
Reviews / Votes
`The editors' methodology ... provides a logical system of clarifying not only problems of prosody but also those of dialect ... The editors have fulfilled their stated aim - the establishment of text, textual and linguistic backgrounds, and sources for a little-edited Middle English alliterative romance.'Studies in the Age of Chaucer `the arguments are presented scrupulously and in details, and the evidence of the resulting text suggests that the editors are right to offer readings which in their judgement are more authentic than those contained in the manuscripts. The account of the principles and procedures used is clear and illuminating and extremely interesting; it raises issues about the metrical system of alliterative verse which require to be pursued further by scholars working with other alliterative material. The annotation is generous and helful, and the glossary clearly and logically arranged.
Review of English
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
2 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 219 mm
Width: 143 mm
Thickness: 41 mm
Weight
688 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-722410-6 (9780197224106)
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Schweitzer Classification