The History of Saint Edward the King. (Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 341; The French of England Translation Series, 1) by Matthew Paris, Thelma S. Fenster, Jocelyn Wogan-Browne

Abstract

MLR, 104.4, 2009 1137 neglect of the feminine expression of reciprocal desire in trouvere lyric.However, the resulting equality between desirer and desired that this exposes simultaneously manages tounravel her Lacanian methodology. Dell struggles tofit thisdiscrepancy into her overall argument, describing reciprocal desire as a bland, vanilla configu ration' (p. 99) that devalorizes the chanson cVami through lack of conflict, a theme which ostensibly now enters the discussion in order to provide an answer to the difficultquestion Dell has posed herself. It is inher study of the chronotopes' of desire?a termborrowed fromBakhtin? thatDell's line of enquiry becomes harder to follow. The last of the paired chapters explore masculine and feminine relations to space and time and how these affect and inform expressions of desire. Her analysis of the feminine-voiced poetry in cludes a lengthydiscussion of Freud's case studyDora, in an attempt to provide a comparison with the position of the female trouvere. In Chapter 6Dell's treatment of 'masculine space-times' inexplicably includes a scientific formula to calculate speed in the poetry (given as time divided by distance travelled), describing the male-voiced poet as one whose 'temporal versatility ismirrored in his spatial mo bility (emblematized by his horse)' (p. 148). The final chapter concludes thework by problematizing theplace of the feminine-voiced poet, asking, in thevein of Irigary, what subject position, ifany, she can possibly occupy. In an appendix to thework, entitled 'Afterthoughts',Dell admits the lack of a conclusive argument: T have found a kind of response tomy original questions, but it will probably always remain unsatisfactory'. Dell provides several novel and imaginative readings of trouvere lyric,but readers may find themselves lost in her overcomplicated methodology. Queen's University Belfast Mariana Neilly The History of Saint Edward theKing. By Matthew Paris. Trans, and ed. by Thelma S. Fenster and Jocelyn Wogan-Browne. (Medieval and Renais sance Texts and Studies, 341; The French of England Translation Series, 1) Tempe: Arizona Centre forMedieval and Renaissance Studies. 2008. xv+ 166 pp. ?21. ISBN 978-0-86698-389-1. This is a translation of a thirteenth-century hagiographical account of the life of King Edward theConfessor, littleknown tomodern scholars because it was written in 'the French of England', or Anglo-Norman French. It is the firstpublication in thenew French of England Translation Series (FRETS), which, as the series editors explain in their preface, has 'been conceived with the intention of enriching the available corpus ofwhat has been called medieval "English" literature' (pp. ix-x). The Estoire de seintAedward le reiwas composed in the late 1230s or early 1240s in octosyllabic verse, and was dedicated toEleanor of Provence, wife ofKing Henry III ofEngland. Although anonymous, scholars generally agree that it was composed by Matthew Paris, the famous chronicler of StAlbans Abbey. Itmay seem incredible thatMatthew Paris, whose criticisms ofHenry III and his regime are well known, should have composed a text for the queen?and by extension, forher husband? H38 Reviews which praises the royal couple. But on reading theEstoire the features ofMatthew's work familiar to all readers of his Chronica majora become clear: his strongmoral condemnations, the quick and final punishment dealt out to evildoers, his political views ('whoever does not do what his people want will never be granted power by them' (p. 68); 'you [ ] cannot undertake such a thingwithout the agreement of the community of the realm' (pp. 73-74)), and his lively, interesting style. Thelma S. Fenster and Jocelyn Wogan-Browne have made available to students and scholars, in an easily accessible form, a fascinating insight into Matthew Paris's work and talents,which reveals the famous political commentator working in his own mother tongue. A comparison of the translation with Kathryn Young Wallace's edition of 1983 indicates that they have not tried to produce a precise word-for word version, but have well conveyed the overall meaning and tone of thework. For those studying thework ofMatthew Paris, the religious interests ofHenry III and Eleanor of Provence, the cult of Edward theConfessor, constructions ofmale sanctity in the thirteenth century, or the changing legend of Harold Godwinson, this translation will be invaluable. The volume includes a detailed introduction and historical notes, aswell...