The Animal in Medieval Romance I: The Animal as Friend

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Medieval Romance Society

Organizer Name

Tim Wingard

Organizer Affiliation

Centre for Medieval Studies, Univ. of York

Presider Name

Christopher R. Clason

Presider Affiliation

Oakland Univ.

Paper Title 1

Time, Space, and Equine Creationism: How a Horse Can Make a Human in English Romance

Presenter 1 Name

Francine McGregor

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Arizona State Univ.

Paper Title 2

Love Is (Species)-Blind: Parenting across the Human/Animal Border in French Medieval Romance

Presenter 2 Name

Antonella Sciancalepore

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Univ. catholique de Louvain

Paper Title 3

"Geaunt ys more Þan man": Giants, Species Anxiety, and Rape in Middle English Romance

Presenter 3 Name

Tim Wingard

Start Date

10-5-2018 1:30 PM

Session Location

Bernhard 213

Description

This session explores co-dependent relationships between animals and humans in romances. To what extent do romance societies accommodate the off-spring of cross-species couplings? Can they threaten, destabilise and unsettle hierarchies? In presenting these animal-human relations, do the texts blur the boundaries between man and beast? Can a human and an animal be equals? Papers in this session cover a broad range of themes, including animals and chivalric identity, sexual couplings, animals and friendship, and animals as parental surrogates.

-Tim Wingard