Critical Tales : New Studies of the "Heptameron" and Early Modern Culture

Appearing in print for the first time in 1558, the book that we know as the Heptameron is the work of Marguerite, Queen of Navarre. The tales of the Heptameron portray the conflicts, ruptures, and upheavals that agitated early modern French society. They are often cautionary tales about the corruption of the late medieval church, about decadent priests and monks, or about the unfortunate faithful whose belief in the efficacy of good works for salvation leads to disaster and death.