, Le Roman de la Rose (Early Manuscripts at Oxford University website. Oxford University, 2000). View Source Online

Text name(s): Le Roman de la Rose; the Romance of the Rose

Number of pages of primary source text: 330

Medieval Author(s): Guillame de Lorris Jean de Meun

Dates: 1348 - 1348

Archival Reference: Bodleian Library MS. Selden Supra 57

Original Language(s): French - Old French;

Translation: Original language included.

Translation Comments:

Geopolitical Region(s): France;

County/Region: Paris

Apparatus: Facsimile

Comments:

This manuscript is an illustrated copy of the Romance of the Rose. A half-erased inscription on fol. 153v says that it was made in Paris in 1348. The Romance of the Rose has been a highly controversial misogynist work ever since it was written and Christine de Pizan engaged Europe’s men of letters in a debate over the work’s merit. It is a long allegorical poem about the value of love, or, more specifically, of sex. The first portion was written by Guillaume de Lorris, but he died before it was finished. Forty years later, Jean de Meun took over, writing the bulk of the work. Scholars debate over the unity of the work: it is unclear whether Lorris intended the book to take on the controversial misogynist and satirical character that Meun gave it. Extremely high resolution images of every page of the manuscript can be found on the Early Manuscripts at Oxford University website.

Introduction Summary:

Cataloger: MK