An Introduction to Jean Bodel

Bringing the work of a highly influential
medieval French writer to English-speaking audiences for the first time

This
book explores the life and works of Jean Bodel, an influential author who lived
in twelfth-century Arras, France. A versatile poet, playwright, and epic writer
who established new genres such as fabliaux
and the mystery play, Bodel remains relatively unknown to Anglophone audiences.
Lynn Ramey
offers translations and summaries of works never published before in English
while delving into Bodel’s historical and cultural context.

After
a brief introduction to the poet, Ramey highlights the stimulating and
cosmopolitan environment of Arras, considering the influence of the Crusades
and social movements in shaping Bodel’s works. Next, Ramey provides an
extensive survey of all of Bodel’s known writing across his prolific career by
genre, from his most well-known work, The
Play of Saint Nicholas (Le Jeu de
saint Nicolas), to his final piece, Farewell
(Les Congés), which offers important
insight into his diagnosis of leprosy toward the end of his life. Ramey
translates several pieces including pastourelles,
fabliaux, and selections from
the Song of the Saxons (Chanson des Saisnes). The book also includes
information on Bodel’s sources, a chronology, and a glossary.

With much of the existing scholarship on Bodel only
available in French, this book bridges a gap in knowledge of the poet and
serves as a useful resource for both students and specialists. An Introduction to Jean Bodel allows a broader
audience to engage with the writer’s wide-ranging work and contributions to
literary history.A
volume in the series New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and
Traditions, edited by R. Barton Palmer and Tison Pugh