Heroes and Marvels of the Middle Ages

This welcome translation makes Jacques Le Goff’s Heros et merveilles du Moyen Age, originally published in 2005, available to an Anglophone audience. The work of this French historian emphasized the multi-layered nature of history and the importance of social and economic trends alongside political or diplomatic themes. Le Goff’s contributions to the reassessment of medieval civilization continued throughout his life, and his influence has been far-reaching. * Folklore *
At the time of his death in 2014, Le Goff was a leading scholar of medieval Europe. In these nineteen short essays – originally published in French in 2005 – he offers case studies of "the medieval imaginary" to argue that many creations of medieval culture not only had long lives but are still present today. The papers fall into several groups – some focus on the lore surrounding a real historical figure like Charlemagne or El Cid, while others look at creations of folk lore and literature (ie, Robin Hood or Merlin). Impersonal constructs like the castle or cathedral also figure in, as do mythical animals (like the unicorn) and collective groups like knights or troubadours. In each case Le Goff explains the subject’s medieval origins and the diffusion of the myth or cult across Europe before turning to its post-medieval and modern life in many forms of culture and entertainment. The erudition is smoothly presented with an implicit argument for the basic similarity between medieval culture and its modern heirs. That these products of the medieval imagination remain fruitful sources for contemporary literary and artistic production (with a bow to film and comics) is a powerful case for the continuity of intellectual life over many centuries. Recommended * Choice *