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Author:   E. Jane Burns ,  Ruth Mazo Karras
Publisher:   University of Pennsylvania Press
Imprint:   University of Pennsylvania Press
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.495kg
ISBN:  

9780812219302

ISBN 10:   0812219309
Pages:   336
Publication Date:   07 September 2005
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  General ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of print, replaced by POD  
We will order this item for you from a manufatured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Damsel's Sleeve—Reading Through Clothes in Courtly Love PART I. CLOTHING COURTLY BODIES 1 Fortune's Gown: Material Extravagance and the Opulence of Love PART II. RECONFIGURING DESIRE: THE POETICS OF TOUCH 2 Amorous Attire: Dressing Up for Love 3 Love's Stitches Undone: Women's Work in the chanson de toile PART III. DENATURALIZING SEX: WOMEN AND MEN ON A GENDERED SARTORIAL CONTINUUM 4 Robes, Armor, and Skin 5 From Woman's Nature to Nature's Dress PART IV. EXPANDING COURTLY SPACE THROUGH EASTERN RICHES 6 Saracen Silk: Dolls, Idols, and Courtly Ladies 7 Golden Spurs: Love in the Eastern World of Floire et Blancheflor Coda: Marie de Champagne and the Matière of Courtly Love Notes Bibliography Index Acknowledgments

Reviews

Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts... While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love... Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women... The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses... Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana

"""Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love."" * Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan * ""Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say."" * Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. * ""Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts. . . . While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women."" * <i>Speculum</i> * ""This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love. . . . Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts."" * <i>Choice</i> * ""An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women. . . . The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context."" * <i>Comitatus</i> * ""Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses. . . . Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular."" * <i>Arthuriana</i> *"

Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts... While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love... Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women... The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses... Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana

Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses. . . . Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts. . . . While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women. . . . The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love. . . . Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice

An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women. . . . The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love. . . . Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts. . . . While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses. . . . Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana

This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love. . . . Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women. . . . The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts. . . . While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses. . . . Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana

""Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love.""—Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan ""Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say.""—Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. ""Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts. . . . While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women.""—Speculum ""This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love. . . . Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts.""—Choice ""An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women. . . . The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context.""—Comitatus ""Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses. . . . Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular.""—Arthuriana

An invigorating reassessment of the French literature of the High Middle Ages through the discourse of the dress and luxury adornments of court men and women... The book sets very ambitious goals and accomplishes them with very dense readings, which vacillate from deceptively simple and clear analysis of twelfth- and thirteenth-century texts, to a much more profound understanding of those metaphors in a larger sociological context. -Comitatus This study of material culture provides a fresh picture of courtly love... Burns gives true life to French literature of the high Middle Ages and provides careful readings of a variety of texts. -Choice Burns argues persuasively that fabric and clothing can create representations of both gender and status in selected French courtly texts... While grounded in solid readings of medieval texts, Burns's book also reflects and adds to recent feminist rethinking of clothing's capacity to empower women. -Speculum Burns enables us to see, and to be surprised totally by, what the texts themselves have to say. -Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara. Courtly Love Undressed is unique in its extended interrogation of the ways rich clothing and luxury possessions of courtly characters may be seen to subvert and rewrite the very hierarchies and distinctions they would seem to promote. The book offers something entirely new to medieval cultural and literary studies: a materialist analysis of the fantasy of courtly love. -Peggy McCracken, University of Michigan Burns evinces a clear mastery of the subtleties of the array of primary texts she uses... Her bibliography of both primary and secondary sources is substantial and well-rounded. Though history plays a part in her readings, her focus is squarely on the literary text. Her close readings are impressive in their analyses and command of the polyvalence of medieval vernacular. -Arthuriana

Author Information

E. Jane Burns is L. M. Slifkin Distinguished Term Professor and Chair of the Curriculum in Women's Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is author of Bodytalk: When Women Speak in Old French Literature, also available from the University of Pennsylvania Press.

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