The Matter of Identity in Medieval Romance

Identity is a central concern of medieval romance. Here it is approached through essays on issues of origin and parentage, transformation and identity, and fundamental questions of what constitutes the human. The construction of knightly identity through education and testing is explored, and placed in relation to female identity; the significance of the motif of doubling is studied. Shifting perceptions of identities are traced through the histories of specific texts, and the identity of romance itself is the subject of several essays discussing ideas of genre (the overlap between romance and hagiography is a theme linking a number of articles in the collection). Medieval romance is shown as a marketable commodity in the printed output of William Copland, and as an opportunity for literary experimentation in the work of John Metham. The texts discussed include: Chevalere Assigne, Sir Gowther, Sir Ysumbras, Beves of Hamtoun, Robert of Cisyle, the Fierabras romances, Breton lays, Thomas's Tristan and Marie de France's Eliduc. Contributors: W.A. DAVENPORT, JOANNE CHARBONNEAU, CORINNE SAUNDERS, AMANDA HOPKINS, MORGAN DICKSON, MARIANNE AILES, JUDITH WEISS, JOHN SIMONS, RHIANNON PURDIE, MALDWYN MILLS, A.S.G. EDWARDS, ROGER DALRYMPLE.