Chivalry - Cabell, James Branch

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Résumé :
Chivalry (1909) is a fascinating collection of tales that draw inspiration from the popular chronicles of medieval Europe. Author James Branch Cabell immerses his reader into this distant world , masking his authorship in order to ensure a fluidity of form and content that injects his work of high fantasy with a sense of truth. Intentionally layered in mystery and claims of authenticity, Chivalry purports to be a copy made by royal scribe Colard Mansion of the Dizain of Queens, a collection of chronicles, tales, and histories written by Messire Nicolas de Caen for the Princess Isabella of Portugal. In The Story of the Sestina, a traveling singer has a chance encounter with the Queen of England, who recognizes him as the esteemed Osmund Heleigh and requests of him a song. As he joins her on her journey through war-torn countryside, two things become clear-the pair have a secret history, and, as battle nears, Osmund will soon have to offer more than his songs in her service. As the collection's title suggests, many of Cabell's stories follow a similar theme: the relationship between men and women within a system regulated by honor, responsibility, and often blind loyalty. The Story of the Tenson, set in Spain in 1265, follows Ellinor of Castile's efforts to escape her marriage in the pursuit of love. In The Story of the Choices, Queen Ysabeau of England eases her boredom by devising a series of trials for the knight Sir Gregory Darrell. Over the course of ten tales, tales of danger, romance, intrigue, and courage, James Branch Cabell's Chivalry broadens the mystery of the medieval world while illuminating, and critiquing, our own. Cabell's work has long been described as escapist, his novels and stories derided as fantastic and obsessive recreations of a world lost long ago. To read Chivalry, however, is to understand that the issues therein-the struggle for power, the unspoken distance between men and women-were vastly important not only at the time of its publication, but in our own, divisive world. This edition of James Branch Cabell's Chivalry is a classic of fantasy and romance reimagined for modern readers. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe....

Biographie:
American writer James Branch Cabell (1879-1958) is renowned for his works of social criticism, satire, and fantasy. Born in Richmond, Virginia, Cabell honed a distinctive literary style that combined humor, sarcasm, and romance. Early in the 20th century, Cabell started his writing career and became well-known for his ambitious work, the Biography of the Life of Manuel. The connected books in this series, include Jurgen, Figures of Earth, and The Silver Stallion, demonstrated Cabell's talent for weaving complex stories and his examination of subjects like love, desire, and the definition of heroism. In Cabell's writings, fantasy and social critique are often combined in fanciful worlds and locations. Extensive language, sophisticated wordplay, and a self-awareness that questioned accepted literary standards were characteristics of his writing style. Despite Cabell's decreasing popularity in the middle of the 20th century, his writings are still valued for the literary skill with which they probe human nature and society structures. James Branch Cabell is now regarded as a significant contributor to American literature, especially in the fields of satire, fantasy, and speculative fiction....

Sommaire:
Chivalry (1909) is a fascinating collection of tales that draw inspiration from the popular chronicles of medieval Europe. Author James Branch Cabell immerses his reader into this distant world , masking his authorship in order to ensure a fluidity of form and content that injects his work of high fantasy with a sense of truth. Intentionally layered in mystery and claims of authenticity, Chivalry purports to be a copy made by royal scribe Colard Mansion of the Dizain of Queens, a collection of chronicles, tales, and histories written by Messire Nicolas de Caen for the Princess Isabella of Portugal. In The Story of the Sestina, a traveling singer has a chance encounter with the Queen of England, who recognizes him as the esteemed Osmund Heleigh and requests of him a song. As he joins her on her journey through war-torn countryside, two things become clear-the pair have a secret history, and, as battle nears, Osmund will soon have to offer more than his songs in her service. As the collection's title suggests, many of Cabell's stories follow a similar theme: the relationship between men and women within a system regulated by honor, responsibility, and often blind loyalty. The Story of the Tenson, set in Spain in 1265, follows Ellinor of Castile's efforts to escape her marriage in the pursuit of love. In The Story of the Choices, Queen Ysabeau of England eases her boredom by devising a series of trials for the knight Sir Gregory Darrell. Over the course of ten tales, tales of danger, romance, intrigue, and courage, James Branch Cabell's Chivalry broadens the mystery of the medieval world while illuminating, and critiquing, our own. Cabell's work has long been described as escapist, his novels and stories derided as fantastic and obsessive recreations of a world lost long ago. To read Chivalry, however, is to understand that the issues therein-the struggle for power, the unspoken distance between men and women-were vastly important not only at the time of its publication, but in our own, divisive world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of James Branch Cabell's Chivalry is a classic of fantasy and romance reimagined for modern readers....