Publishing the Grail in Medieval and Renaissance France by Leah Tether

Abstract

Reviewed by: Publishing the Grail in Medieval and Renaissance France by Leah Tether Leona Archer leah tether, Publishing the Grail in Medieval and Renaissance France. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2017. Pp. 224. isbn: 9781843844266. $99. In Publishing the Grail in Medieval and Renaissance France, Leah Tether explores concepts of publishing through the lens of Grail literature and an examination of manuscript evidence and early print editions of Grail narratives. One of the central thesis statements of the volume asserts that pre-print book production can be considered an early form of publishing and Tether’s arguments are compelling, citing numerous records that demonstrate a thriving book trade in pre-print French society. This is explored in great depth in Chapter One: ‘Publishing the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.’ Tether’s claim for a medieval publishing trade does not only arise from the records of book traders and those who commissioned manuscripts, however, but from evidence found within the texts themselves. In each of the next four chapters, the following medieval French Grail romances are examined in relation to the chapter theme: Chrétien de Troyes’ Conte du Graal, the Bliocadran, Elucidation, and the Continuations; Perlesvaus; and the Estoire del saint Graal and the Queste del Saint Graal of the Vulgate Cycle. The first section of each chapter presents the methodological framework and main arguments of the chapter, which are then supported by a detailed exploration of the primary texts. Chapter Two (‘Blurbing the Grail’) argues that the paratexts, colophons, and prologues, which frequently accompany both manuscript and early-print editions of Grail romances, may all constitute what we would now call a blurb; that is, a promotional copy that announces the narrative with the crucial purpose of enticing contemporary readers to engage with said text. Tether also proposes that the development of such texts charts changing literary tastes with a preference for more chivalric-focused Grail narratives in the later Middle Ages, illustrated by the material presentation of these in early printed books. Chapter Three (‘Disclosing the Author’) claims that the ways in which French Grail narratives disclose authorship evolve over time, while addressing the thorny questions that so often loom large over any discussion of medieval authorship; to whom do we refer when we employ the term ‘author’ and according to what definition(s)? Through a close examination of peritextual representations of authorship in French Grail literature, Tether asserts that publishers were consciously working with the ‘author’ as a brand (not necessarily a named individual) that they could exploit in order to market their books to particular consumers. The previously explored concepts of blurbing and authorship drive the discussion forward in Chapter Four (‘Re-packaging the Grail’). Here, Tether analyzes the data in order explore how Grail narratives may have been compiled to appeal to successive generations of medieval readers, by responding to changing tastes. The final chapter of the book (Five: ‘Patronage and Promotion’), examines the role of patrons in Grail literature (both those who commissioned the first creation of a Grail text from an author and those who commissioned copies), and the development of patronage as book production moved from manuscript to print. Tether concludes that across both these models of textual production, patronage [End Page 163] is a valuable commercial tool that can be leveraged to generate not only financial rewards, but also political and social benefits. This monograph is attractively presented, rigorously researched, and convincingly substantiated. The arrangement of chapters is logical and coherent, and readers with specific research interests (i.e. early book production or Grail literature) will easily find relevant sections. Consequently, this work should appeal to readers interested in a range of intersecting subjects; from the history of publishing to Old French and Arthurian literature, to manuscript and early printed book production. Leona Archer University of Surrey Copyright © 2019 Arthuriana