Anonymous, Octavian

Amy Burge (Cardiff University)

Ed. by Jamie McKinstry, University of Durham
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1350 - c. 1350

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poetry (any)

Resources

Middle English romance, the most popular secular genre in late medieval England, is often considered a genre of adaptation and imitation. Stories, themes, and plot devices are recycled and reimagined in different periods and different languages. The Octavian romance, popular throughout Europe in a variety of languages, including Italian, Danish, Dutch, German, Icelandic and Polish, is a perfect example of the way medieval romance developed during the Middle Ages and into the sixteenth century, surviving in a number of prose forms. The romance is important both for its representation of a typical Middle English romance, and for its specific treatment of themes of class and social mobility and religious difference.

The …

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1974 words

Citation: Burge, Amy. "Octavian". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 December 2017 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=38774, accessed 25 April 2024.]

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