Villon at Oxford: The Drama of the Text

These proceedings of the colloquium held at Oxford in 1996 bear witness to the vitality of Villon studies across the world. Leading scholars in the field came together to demonstrate the lively diversity of approach and range which characterizes the study of a man who has been described as the last great medieval and the first great modern poet. As the sub-title of the volume indicates, emphasis is placed on the drama of the text, and how Villon brought his work alive in ways which owe much to contemporary theatre and popular culture. At the same time full recognition is given to his debt to the literary tradition of his day, and the unique way he uses and manipulates it. As a result, all those interested in French poetry in the late-medieval period will find the different papers essential reading for a better understanding of Villon himself and his place in the French poetic canon.