Exchanges in Exoticism: Cross-Cultural Marriage and the Making of the Mediterranean in Old French Romance

196 Pages·2014·1.639 MB·English

by  Megan Moore

EXCHANGES IN EXOTICISM
Cross-Cultural Marriage and the Making
of the Mediterranean in Old French Romance
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Exchanges in Exoticism
Cross-Cultural Marriage
and the Making of the Mediterranean
in Old French Romance
MEGAN MOORE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
© University of Toronto Press 2014
Toronto Buffalo London
www.utppublishing.com
Printed in Canada
ISBN 978-1-4426-4469-4
Printed on acid-free, 100% post-consumer recycled paper with
vegetable-based inks.
_______________________________________________________________
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Moore, Megan, 1977–, author
Exchanges in exoticism : cross-cultural marriage and the making of
the Mediterranean in Old French romance/Megan Moore.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4426-4469-4 (bound)
1. French literature – To 1500 – History and criticism. 2. Byzantine
literature – History and criticism. 3. French literature – To 1500 –
Mediterranean influences. 4. Women in literature. 5. Sex role in
literature. 6. Nobility in literature. 7. National characteristics,
French, in literature. I. Title.
PQ183.M66 2014 840.9'35837 C2013-905687-4
________________________________________________________________
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its
publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts
Council.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support of the
Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for its publishing
activities.
For Thomas, Sophie, & Gabby
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Να εύχεσαι νάναι μακρύς ο δρόμος.
Πολλά τα καλοκαιρινά πρωιά να είναι
που με τι ευχαρίστησι, με τι χαρά
.
θα μπαίνεις σε λιμένας πρωτοειδωμένους
να σταματήσεις σ’ εμπορεία Φοινικικά,
και τες καλές πραγμάτειες ν’ αποκτήσεις,
σεντέφια και κοράλλια, κεχριμπάρια κ’ έβενους,
και ηδονικά μυρωδικά κάθε λογής,
.
όσο μπορείς πιο άφθονα ηδονικά μυρωδικά
[Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbours seen for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind.]
Constantine Cavafy, Ithaca
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Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 3
1 Women and the Making of Mediterranean Identities in Cligès and
Digenis Akritas 20
2 Exchanging Exoticism: Narrating Mediterranean Nobility in
Floire et Blancheflor 50
3 Masculinities and the Geographies of Empire in Thirteenth-Century
Incest Romances 80
4 Rewriting Mediterranean Gender and Power in
Floriant et Florete 102
Conclusion: Rereading the Intersections of the Mediterranean 120
Notes 129
Bibliography 163
Index 181
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