Meraugis de Portlesguez: roman arthurien du XIIIe siècle, publie d'après le manuscrit de la Bibliothèque du Vatican (review)

Professor Szkilnik's edition should become the standard reference for Meraugisin the future. The earlier Friedwagner edition (1897) no longer meets modern principles of textual editing. Although Szkilnik's edition uses the same base manuscript (the Vatican), it does not seek to recover the author's original version, as in the earlier edition. It also identifies in scrupulous detail all important changes made using the two other complete manuscripts (Vienna, Turin) and two fragments known today (Berlin, Paris). Since only the Vienna manuscript contains the prologue, Szkilnik edits it separately without questioning its authenticity. The verse text is accompanied by a facing page prose translation; it is supplemented with notes at the bottom of the translation pages, and, at the end of the volume, rejected readings of the Vatican manuscript, codicological notes on the corrections to and retained, but problematic readings in the base manuscript, selected variants, an index of proper names, and — an always useful addition even in an edition with translation — a glossary. A brief bibliography closes the volume. The Introduction is in two parts. The first offers a critical interpretation of the romance. It treats the central issue of the work, beauty versus courtesy as source of love, offers a compelling and insightful interpretation of Meraugis's character as he evolves from 'le nice' to 'le sage', and features a lucid analysis of Raoul's 'art de la reprise', or lifting and adapting antecedent matter in a new work, a kind of rewriting that has attracted more attention recently in the context of imitation and emulation in verse romance. This part also discusses the author's identity and works, the date of composition of Meraugis, and the romance's 'posterity' and influence, followed by a plot summary (perhaps somewhat out of place after the preceding critical analysis). The second part of the Introduction treats manuscripts and base manuscript, earlier editions (there are three, with a fourth of the Paris fragment), editorial principles, versification and the language of the base manuscript. Champion's new series and its general editor, Emmanuèle Baumgartner, are doing useful service in editing the verse romances where editions are no longer available or where new editions and translations are desirable. This is especially important for the post-Chrétien verse romances that have been attracting more attention and appreciation. A list opposite the title page includes such heretofore neglected romances as Robert d'Orbigny's Floire et Blanchefleur( FS, LVIII(2004), 393), Thomas of Kent's Roman d'Alexandre( FS, LVIII(2004), 394), Floriant et Floreteand the Conte du Papegau.