 |
The Heroic AgeIssue 7Spring 2004 |
Reviews
Richard Barber, The Legends of King Arthur. Boydell & Brewer, 2001. ISBN: 0851158374
Reviewed by Jennifer Dean, PHC, University of Washington
For centuries, King Arthur and the tales of his knights and court have fascinated audiences, capturing readers and listeners alike with gaudy pagentry and tales of courage. The 'mystery' of Arthur, of who he might have been, tantalizes scholars and laymen alike, everyone has their own answers. One of the most popular ideas is that Arthur was a Roman Britain, holding out against invading barbarian hordes when the Roman army withdrew in the 6th century. No matter who the 'real' Arthur was, however, his legend lived on. In the early 19th century, Thomas Malory produced the best known modern collection of the tales. This book sought not to provide accurate translations of the older tales but to emend the tales so that they would suit the audiences of the time.
In this newest collection of Arthurian tales, Barber does much
the same thing as Malory did. Rather than trying to translate
the older Medieval tales, Barber seeks to reconcile various existing
tales in such a way as to make them appear coherent. His interest,
clearly stated in the introduction to the collection, is to make
the tales 'available' to modern audiences. In Barber's own words,
he 'plunders a variety of different sources to create the stories,
but also deliberately breaks away from the idea that there is
a single, authentic voice, by presenting two different tellings
of each of the stories that have been chosen." If his readers
are then interested in pursing the original materials, he provides
a sparse bibliography at the end of the collection from which
they might choose.
Mr. Barber has taken on an ambitious task. The material pertaining
to Arthur and the tales of his kingdom and knights is extensive
and often convoluted. So many centuries of writing and investigation
on the topic have created a morass of material, sufficiently
large to cause the casual reader to think twice before seeking
to untangle it. That Mr. Barber makes an attempt to weed through
this material and to present it in a novice friendly format is
worth remarking. That said, there are certain dangers in such
undertakings. With the fascination that the Arthurian tales command,
an author attempting to subsume, emend, anthologize such material
must be very careful that he presents, along with the text, his
process so that his readers may understand what it is that he
is doing.
Mr Barber, perhaps in an attempt to maximize the space devoted
to the tales themselves and to minimize distractions for the
non-academic reader, does not provide his readers with the specific
sources nor with any rationale as to why he chose as he did.
This does a disservice to both his readers and to his topic.
Further reading of the book raises several questions. The first,
and most vexing, is how, if Mr. Barber is 'plundering' a variety
of sources to create a coherent tale, he can then offer two different
versions of the same tale? As the versions of the tales that
he offers up are not footnoted, it is impossible to tell from
what sources Mr. Barber is drawing. Moreover, as Mr. Barber acknowledges,
there are many MORE than two versions of the tales, so again,
what exactly are we reading? And why has he chosen these particular
versions (if we can accept them as 'versions' and not composites
of versions) to present?
A second problem is that of the bibliography: the list that Mr.
Barber provides is quite limited. One might wish for a broader
offering. While it might well be argued that a reader can, and
perhaps should, do research for himself, if one hopes to encourage
readers to pursue a topic, one ought to offer as clear and balanced
a guide as possible.
Finally, there is the format of the book itself to consider.
The book is large and heavy but when one opens the book, the
type face is small, so small as to make reading the tales an
exercise for the eyes equivalent to working out in the gym with
heavy free weights. If Mr. Barber's authorial decisions were
based on his wish to make to book and material friendly to the
novice Arthurian reader, the editorial printing decisions have
canceled out his best efforts. By presenting the book as a massive
tome with miniscule print, the editor s of this book have consigned
it to the dusty back shelves of the public library.
All in all, while this book may serve some worthwhile purpose,
it must be approached with caution. It is not necessarily the
best choice for someone just beginning to explore the wonder
and mystery of the Arthurian world.
T.M. Charles-Edwards. Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0-521-36395-0. $70.00.
Reviewed by David J.
Duncan, Wichita State University, Wichita KS
In light of recent scholarship of late antique and early medieval Europe, scholars and students alike have needed an overarching text that both surveys early Irish history and culture, but also goes into detail on Irish institutions. T. M. Charles-Edwards' Early Christian Ireland provides both levels of coverage.
Edwards' coverage of Irish history goes beyond what one might
normally receive on the subject. His analysis looks at the rationale
behind the events, the factors leading up to them, and their
effect on later society. In this sense, one can look to his coverage
of the Easter controversy (Chapter 9), the conflicts between
the British and Irish Churches (Chapter 10), and the travels
of Columbanus on the continent. (Chapter 8). In each case, he
gives an account of the events. However, what distinguishes this
analysis is his extraordinarily detailed version of why the
events happened. For example, his chapter on the Easter controversy
provides the subtext to the debate between the Roman and Irish
Churches, the background to the Synod of Whitby (664), each figure's
motivations and the fallout from that gathering up to 716 and
should spur on questions for the reader to consider.
Edwards' examination of Irish society is very revealing. His
analysis of the social class stratification is in-depth and excellent
whether one is discussing kings or the lowest groups. He discusses
each region in two ways. First, his "seventh century"
tour provides an overview for the themes covered later. Then
each region receives individualized coverage. He also stirs art
and literature into his account, adding more breadth and depth.
His blending of several different historiographical methodologies
results in an examination worth considering in this context.
In the same way, Edwards' coverage of the Church is good. As with the other parts of Irish society, he traces the evolution of the Irish Church from the beginning of its existence. He talks about the important figures in addition to their motivations and the overall effect on the institution. He gives proper coverage to the usual figures (Columba, Columbanus and Patrick, for example) He analyzes the Irish Church's relations with Anglo-Saxon England, Rome, Gaul, and the rest of the Continent and gives proper credit to Irish missionary efforts. He shows how the tensions between monastic forms fed the bigger issues of the day (such as the Easter controversy). Furthermore, he aptly illustrates how Ireland's ecclesiastical structure differed from its continental neighbors. Finally, he shows how the parties within the hierarchy affected events with their differing agendas.
The sources for this study reveal a wealth of both primary and
secondary sources. As noted earlier, Edwards expertly blends
different historiographical sources whether chronicle, literary
piece, hagiography, or artistic formats into one detailed account
that adds depth to our awareness of Irish society at this time.
Yet, his notes and bibliography lack scholarship pertaining to
the Continent. While the study does focus on Irish society and
Irish institutions, the author should cite sources pertaining
to the societies where the peregrini founded their monasteries.
In this way, the account would have been much more balanced.
However, his lack of attention to monastic women on the continent
is distressing, especially since there is a great deal of scholarship
in English and other languages on their role in this process.
Primary sources are available through a variety of places such
as Sainted Women of the Dark Ages, ed. Jo Ann McNamara
and John E. Halborg (Durham: Duke University Press, 1992). Even
as he discusses the importance of the missionaries, Edwards minimizes
the women's role as intermediaries between the Irish monks and
the native courts. As the earliest abbesses in many cases, they
helped to establish power bases, leading to the rise of later
historical figures as well as contemporary debates. I might add
that it is not a question of information. Edwards certainly provides
that, but rather, one needs perspective. The exchange
between Ireland and the continent was a mutual one-one that was
not always forced upon the former by the latter.
His account of women in Irish monastic establishments is lacking
as well. While he does give some mention to the figures from
Bede and the other sources, the coverage is tangential at best.
He mentions Hild briefly. However, as with the continental nunneries,
the Irish nuns are missing from this account as well. Once again,
given the scholarship in this area, the topic should be addressed
in greater detail.
Early Christian Ireland will serve its audience well in
most regards. In this text, Edwards' account blends survey with
in-depth study masterfully. His insight into larger social issues,
class structure and history will generate larger questions for
scholars upon their next reading of the sources. For Irish history
and for the Irish end of the idea exchange, the book gives new
clarity. However, the reader should be advised that the coverage
is spotty for certain topics (such as women's role in monastic
establishment and some important historiographical coverage for
the Continental societal landscape). Despite this large oversight,
this book belongs in most academic libraries because of the questions
that it answers for the historian and scholar.
Cinema
Arthuriana: Twenty Essays,
Revised Edition. Ed. Kevin J. Harty. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland
& Company, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0-7864-1344-1. 317pp.
Reviewed by Rebecca Umland, University of Nebraska at Kearney
This collection of essays is intended to update an original anthology, Cinema Arthuriana: Essays on Arthurian Film, published in 1991. Its editor states that, among the twenty essays included in the new volume, six are new, while the remainder have either been updated or reprinted from the original collection. The new contributions include Jacqueline de Weever's study of Morgan le Fay, John Christopher Kleis' "Tortilla Flat and the Arthurian View," Barbara Tepa Lupack's essay on Malamud's The Natural and its film adaptation, Donald Hoffman's discussion of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Sandra Gorgievski's study of French cinema and Denis Llorca's Les Chevaliers de la table ronde, Michael Torregrossa's treatment of Mordred in American and British cinema, and Meradith T. McMunn's, "Filming the Tristan Myth."
Of the twenty essays, three address John Boorman's Excalibur,
testifying to its continued importance and lasting appeal. Four
essays focus on American cinema, while another four discuss comic
cinematic versions that activate the Arthurian legend, two of
which are centered on another strong film, Monty Python and
the Holy Grail. Five essays are devoted to character studies,
one each on the figures of Morgan, Mordred, and Gawain in film,
while another two examine the portrayal of Tristan. Two essays
treat French cinema's use of Arthuriana, while another offers
an overview of the Matter of Britain in the German film
tradition. Finally, the volume includes a reprint of Helmut Nickel's
wide-ranging "Arms and Armor in Arthurian Films."
This survey of the collection's contents identifies its main
weaknesses. First, it lacks a certain coherence or rationale.
It is difficult to ascertain what is meant by the title "Cinema
Arthuriana," other than the general understanding that all
of the films employ, in one way or another, some feature of the
legend. As such, any of these essays might be exchanged for different
studies of equal validity. As it is, the contributions have little
in common with one another in terms of their method or approach:
there are thematic studies, essays devoted to a single figure,
and sweeping treatments of entire genres (e.g., comedy) or nationalities
(French, German, British, or American). In addition, much of
what is included in this revised edition can be found in the
first volume. The reader will need to decide whether the updated
filmography and bibliography justify the purchase price.
Rome and the north: the early reception of Gregory the Great in Germanic Europe. Edited by Rolf H. Bremmer Jr., Kees Dekker, David E. Johnson. Paris: Peeters, 2001. (Mediaevalia Groningana new series ; v. 4). xvi, 308 pp. ISBN 90-429-1054-2.
Reviewed by Brad Eden, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries
The influence of Gregory the Great on the literary heritage of the Germanic world between 700 and 1300 A.D. is well known. Gregory's writings had a profound impact on Germanic society, due to the fact that his writings were of a very diverse nature, and encompassed the pastoral, epistolary, exegetic, homiletic, and edifying nature of his works. Within three generations of Gregory's mission to the Anglo-Saxons through Augustine of Canterbury, the Anglo-Saxons themselves were sending missionaries to the Continent to convert the Frisians, Saxons, and Franks, among others. This volume presents a survey of the reception of Gregory's works in Anglo-Saxon England, South and North Germany, Frisia, Scandinavia, the Low Countries, and Iceland. Specific works of Gregory's that are examined include the Pastoral Rule, the Dialogues, Moralia in Job, and the homilies on Ezechiel and the Gospels, as well as many others. Contributors to this issue are experts from a variety of countries, including Canada, England, Italy, Belgium, the United States, Scotland, and the Netherlands. As a group, the essays provide up-to-date evidence of Gregory's influence on the pastoral practices of various Germanic clergy as well as the literary culture of the Germanic-speaking peoples. Overall, this area of Gregorian studies has had little scholarly work, and thus this survey provides the needed introductory and specific insight that is needed to encourage and provoke further inquiry and research in this area.