Romance in medieval and early modern England: class, gender, society and the transition from manuscript to print (10)

Award

PhD Research Bursary

Lead supervisor: Dr Raluca Radulescu (School of English)

Supervisory team:

Dr Raluca Radulescu (School of English)
Dr Sue Johns (School of History, Welsh History and Archaeology)
Prof. Helen Wilcox (School of English)

Description of Project:

The main aim of this project is to identify changes in the adaptation of Anglo-Norman, insular romances for a Middle English audience, first circulating in manuscript format, later in print. The specific conditions in which Anglo-Norman romances were written, in particular the socio-political background in twelfth and early thirteenth-century England, and the position of noble women in the period, form an essential element of the analysis in terms of the birth of what has been called 'insular romance' – different from its Continental counterparts. Similarly, the multilingual environment in which romances circulated in medieval England, followed by the transition to a predominantly (but not exclusively) English vernacular literature, shaped the way the original Anglo-Norman romances were translated and adapted to new, broader audiences, in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century England. Last but not least the choices in translating and printing romances made by William Caxton and his apprentice, Wynkyn de Worde, as well as several early Tudor printers like Copland, form another part of this project. These developments can be linked to the adaptation of the genre in Spenserian poetry and early modern drama, including tragicomedy.

The proposed research project is envisaged in three parts, each constituent part to be defined further by the candidate and the lead supervisor, with advice from the supervisory team. The core area of research will be late medieval English literature.

Supervisory expertise

Dr Raluca Radulescu’s research expertise lies in the area of Arthurian and non-Arthurian romance through the centuries, medieval gentry culture, vernacular chronicles and genealogy. She is currently working on a monograph on medieval English romance.

Dr Sue Johns’ expertise lies in the area of gender and power in the Anglo-Norman period, and the way gender is related to historiographies of lordship, power and authority, and to those of conquest and imperialism.

Professor Helen Wilcox’s research expertise is in early modern English literature, with specialisms in women's writing, devotional verse, Shakespearian tragicomedy, autobiographical writing and inter-art relations. Professor Wilcox is director of the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS).

Specialist training opportunities and postgraduate community

Specialist training in the palaeography and codicology of medieval and early modern manuscripts and early print is organised at Bangor by Dr Raluca Radulescu, and training in other related skills (including medieval Latin) by the Graduate School. Opportunities to get involved in a number of postgraduate activities include the annual postgraduate conference in medieval studies ‘Medievalism Transformed’, the Centre for Medieval Studies’ staff-student research seminar series (at which students present their own research), a newly established online postgraduate journal, and IMEMS (the Bangor-Aberystwyth Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies).

For full details of the terms and conditions of this award see.

Queries prior to a formal application concerning this research project should be addressed to:
Dr. Raluca Radulescu (r.radulescu@bangor.ac.uk)

Application:

The application deadline is noon on Friday 30 April 2010. For more information on how to apply, please visit here

Applicants will be contacted during the month of June 2010 with information relating to their submissions.