Writing "Home": Translating Belonging in Beves of Hampton

The word home does not have a direct analogue in medieval French, but it often emerges in Middle English romances translated from francophone sources. This essay examines what these translations can tell us about the valences of the word home in Middle English, demonstrating that it had connotations of belonging, emotional attachment, and power, as well as shelter or housing. I argue that understanding the uses of home can offer insight into the ideologies and geographic dynamics of a romance. In the case of Beves of Hampton, tracing the changes in the location of the protagonist's home indicates that one could have multiple homes and also sheds light on the text's Crusading agenda.