中世纪英语传奇的载体与传播研究前沿:《中世纪英语传奇的传播:格律、手抄本及早期印刷本》评介

A Review of The Transmission of Medieval Romance:Metres,Manuscripts and Early Prints

中古英语传奇的载体与传播是近年中世纪研究领域的热点话题。对手抄本和诗歌格律的研究呈现出方法多样、跨学科和跨文化的趋势,这本论文集充分展现了这样的学科研究趋势。编者收录了一些知名专家和学者的最新研究结果,选编的11篇论文各从不同角度,用不同的研究方法,呈现了中世纪传奇在传播中从吟唱演绎到手抄本传阅,再到印刷出版的市场化的发展过程。它们对于中古英语传奇的格律形式变迁、读者群及传奇文学体裁等一些学术前沿的疑难问题给出了合理的解答,值得对中古英语文学感兴趣的学者选择性研读。

In recent years,the medium and transmission of Middle English romance are among the most widely debated topics in medieval studies.The studies of manuscripts and metre have demonstrated multimethod,interdisciplinary,and cross-cultural tendencies.The essays in The Transmission of Medieval Romance:Metres,Manuscripts,and Early Prints showcase the said tendencies.The editors put together some newest findings of distinguished scholars,and all eleven essays contribute to the understanding of the transmission and development of Middle English romance.Despite their many different subjects,each essay in its own way sheds light on the shift from oral performance to manuscript reading,as well as the transformation of literary forms though the media of manuscripts and printed books.The researchers offer some long-sought answers to questions that have puzzled scholars on the frontier of the field,such as the development of romance metres,the readership of Middle English romance,and genre identification.Students of Middle English literature will find it worthwhile to read essays in this collection selectively.