The King and Commoner Tradition

Carnivalesque Politics in Medieval and Early Modern Literature

Nonfiction, History, Medieval, European General
Cover of the book The King and Commoner Tradition by Mark Truesdale, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mark Truesdale ISBN: 9781351106672
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: January 29, 2018
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Mark Truesdale
ISBN: 9781351106672
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: January 29, 2018
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

King and Commoner tales were hugely popular across the late medieval and early modern periods, their cultural influence extending from Robin Hood ballads to Shakespearean national histories. This study represents the first detailed exploration of this rich and fascinating literary tradition, tracing its development across deeply politicized fifteenth-century comic tales and early modern ballads.

The medieval King and Commoner tales depict an incognito king becoming lost in the forest and encountering a disgruntled commoner who complains of class oppression and poaches the king’s deer. This is an upside-down world of tricksters, violence, and politicized feasting that critiques and deconstructs medieval hierarchy. The commoners of these tales utilize the inversion of the medieval carnival, crowning themselves as liminal mock kings in the forest while threatening to rend and devour a body politic that would oppress them. These tales are complex and ambiguous, reimagining the socio-political upheaval of the late medieval period in sophisticated ruminations on class relations. By contrast, the early modern ballads and chapbooks see the tradition undergo a conservative metamorphosis. Suppressing its more radical elements amid a celebration of proto-panoptical kings, the tradition remerges as royalist propaganda in which the king watches his thankful subjects through the keyhole.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

King and Commoner tales were hugely popular across the late medieval and early modern periods, their cultural influence extending from Robin Hood ballads to Shakespearean national histories. This study represents the first detailed exploration of this rich and fascinating literary tradition, tracing its development across deeply politicized fifteenth-century comic tales and early modern ballads.

The medieval King and Commoner tales depict an incognito king becoming lost in the forest and encountering a disgruntled commoner who complains of class oppression and poaches the king’s deer. This is an upside-down world of tricksters, violence, and politicized feasting that critiques and deconstructs medieval hierarchy. The commoners of these tales utilize the inversion of the medieval carnival, crowning themselves as liminal mock kings in the forest while threatening to rend and devour a body politic that would oppress them. These tales are complex and ambiguous, reimagining the socio-political upheaval of the late medieval period in sophisticated ruminations on class relations. By contrast, the early modern ballads and chapbooks see the tradition undergo a conservative metamorphosis. Suppressing its more radical elements amid a celebration of proto-panoptical kings, the tradition remerges as royalist propaganda in which the king watches his thankful subjects through the keyhole.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book The Development of Language Processing Strategies by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Governance in South Asia by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Leadership Processes and Follower Self-identity by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Crossing the Human Threshold by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Maritime Security in the South China Sea by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Making Music in Japan's Underground by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book The Defense Industrial Base by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Michel-Jean Sedaine (1719-1797) by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Hinduism and Environmental Ethics by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Framing China by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Child Therapy: Concepts, Strategies,And Decision Making by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Loss and Change (Psychology Revivals) by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Native American Art in the Twentieth Century by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Education and the Handicapped 1760 - 1960 by Mark Truesdale
Cover of the book Synchronizing Science and Technology with Human Behaviour by Mark Truesdale
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy