Cligès

Cligès was probably written after Erec et Enide and is thus Chrétien de Troyes' second romance. There are several modern English and French translations of the text, but a need has long been felt for a modern German version, particularly as references in Middle High German texts and text fragments indicate that there was at least one Middle High German version. This gap is now filled with the present modern German translation which is published together with the original text in a bilingual edition; this means that the special position which Cligès takes up in more than one respect in the history of the medieval European romance can now form a stronger focus in German Studies. Thus a broader basis is formed both for interdisciplinary medieval studies and for research into the history and theory of the romance. A comprehensive introduction sketches the most important problems in interpreting the work, the present state of research into Cligès in international Romance Studies and its place in the history of the Arthurian romance. With the translation, the introduction, the commentary, and a comprehensive bibliography, this monograph provides an indispensable foundation for future research. It is anticipated that it will meet with wide interest and significantly alter the view taken by German Studies of the history of the romance in medieval Europe.