The poem itself invites us to think across time, as it retells the story of a battle from centuries before through the invention of new protagonists and new enemies, remaking the historical event at its center for the ideological purposes of the 11th century. Frequently referenced as a model of knightly bravery (or knightly folly?) and long considered a foundational text for French identity and the concept of Christendom, we will see how one poem can reflect the light of many historical moments and bring our own way of reading into focus.
Lecturer bio:
Jacqueline Victor joined the Instructional Staff in 2023. She received her Ph.D. in 2020 at the University from the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, and taught as a UChicago Humanities Teaching Fellow from 2020-2022. Her research focuses on medieval French literature.
