Mirabile Dictu: Representations of the Marvelous in Medieval and Renaissance Epic. Stylus: Studies in Medieval Culture Series.

Aus der Bibliothek von Prof. Wolfgang Haase, langj�igem Herausgeber der ANRW und des International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT) / From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Schutzumschlag leicht berieben, sonst guter Zustand / dust jacket slightly rubbed, otherwise good condition. - Mirabile Dictu covers in six separate chapters the works of Virgil, Dante, Boccaccio, Ariosto, Tasso, and Spenser. Its broad aim is to provide a select cross section of works in the Middle Ages and Renaissance in order to examine and compare for the first time the marvelous in the light of epic genre, in the light of literary and critical theory (both past and present), and in the light of historically and culturally determined representational practices. Douglas Biow organizes this volume around the literary topos of the bleeding branch through which a metamorphosed person speaks. In each chapter the author takes this �marvelous event� as his starting point for a broad-ranging comparison of the several poets who employed the image; he also investigates the ways in which a period�s notion of history underpins its representations of the marvelous. This method offers a controlled yet flexible framework within which to develop readings that engage a multiplicity of theories and approaches. Mirabile Dictu offers not only an insightful survey of the literary connections among this group of important poets but also a useful point of departure for scholars and students intrigued by the re-use of epic conventions, by the peculiar role of �marvelous� events in dramatic poetry, and by the later history of classical literature. At the same time, the study articulates a concept of the marvelous that will prove helpful for scholars interested in the fantastic and the sublime. Mirabile Dictu will be of interest to scholars in a wide range of fields, from comparative literature to philology to medieval and Renaissance studies. / Contents Introduction Chapter 1. Virgil�s Aeneid: Marvels, Violence, and Narrative Self-Consciousness Chapter 2. Dante: From Ignorance to Knowledge Chapter 3. The Value of Marvels Chapter 4. Ariosto, Power, and the Desire for Totality Chapter 5. Individuals, Communities, and the Kinds of Marvels Told Chapter 6. A Spenserian Conclusion: Purity and Danger Epilogue Bibliography Index. ISBN 9780472106912