In the middle Ages some of the most popular and well-loved stories were about female saints, classical heroines and the maidens of courtly romance. The portrayal of these characters reflected societal attitudes towards women, which changed with the prevailing views of the times. Chantry Westwell has used her profound knowledge of the British Library's unrivalled Medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscript collections to explore some of literature's most enduring and multi-layered stories, together with a deep history of the books and chronicles in which they were preserved. Alongside Western tales about Helen of Troy and Dante's Beatrice, she includes Layla and Shirin from Nizami's Khamsah and Princess Mah-Ji from the Pem Nem among the heroines of Persian and Indian literature.
Just as Christine de Pisan, the fifteenth century writer, challenged how male authors were routinely quick to judge and criticise female behaviour, so Chantry Westwell questions how female motivations are subverted to suit a narrative's moralising argument. This is especially true for real-life women, such as the queens Cleopatra and Olympias, for whom legend has displaced biographical detail.
Throughout these tales, fantastical elements interweave with the real world, goddesses mingle with mortals, and themes of quest, courtly love, betrayal and dynastic struggles dominate. The result is an extraordinary and revelatory collection, illustrated with exquisite images from the nuscripts in which the stories appeared.
Size: 156 x 234mm (hardback with dust jacket)
Pages: 352 (120+ colour illustrations)
Publisher: The British Library
Sold
Out
