Medievalisms Making the Past in the Present [Paperback]

From King Arthur and Robin Hood, through to video games and jousting-themed restaurants, medieval culture continues to surround us and has retained a strong influence on literature and culture throughout the ages. This fascinating and illuminating guide is written by two of the leading contemporary scholars of medieval literature, and explores:

• The influence of medieval cultural concepts on literature and film, including key authors such as Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Mark Twain
• The continued appeal of medieval cultural figures such as Dante, King Arthur, and Robin Hood
• The influence of the medieval on such varied disciplines such as politics, music, childrens literature, and art.
• Contemporary efforts to relive the Middle Ages.

Medievalisms: Making the Past in the Presentsurveys the critical field and sets the boundaries for future study, providing an essential background for literary study from the medieval period through to the twenty-first century.

1. Medievalisms: The Magic of the Middle Ages  2. A Case Study of Dante: Naked Icons of Medievalism  3. Literary Medievalisms: Inventing Inspirations  4. Medieval Literature for Children and Young Adults: Fantasies of Innocence  5. King Arthurs and Robin Hoods Adventures in Medievalism: Mythic Masculinities (and Magical Femininities)  6. Movie Medievalisms: Five (or Six) Ways of Looking at an Anachronism  7. Medievalisms in Music and the Arts: Longing for Transcendence  8. Experiential Medievalisms: Reliving the Always Modern Middle Ages  9. Political Medievalisms: The Darkness of the Dark Ages

This coauthored volume may very well be the first book on medievalism(s) I would be happy to recommend to someone new to medievalism studies -Richard Utz, The Medievallã!