Introducing the Medieval Fox

Author: Paul Wackers Series: Medieval Animals

Paperback

This is a short cultural history of the fox in the Middle Ages, outlining medieval views on foxes and illustrating them with text fragments and visual images.

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

Summary

This is a short cultural history of the fox in the Middle Ages, outlining medieval views on foxes and illustrating them with text fragments and visual images.

Description

A wide-ranging account of the fox in medieval culture.

By turns enchanting and erudite, Introducing the Medieval Fox traces the cultural history of the sly vixen back to its source in early modern Europe. Through fables and stories about the fox’s cunning escapades across epic poetry, bestiaries, paintings, statues, and stained glass, Paul Wackers offers the broadest introduction to the fox’s role in medieval culture.

Critic Reviews

"The ambivalence of the naturally astute fox, at times evoking some rather unorthodox moral and political ideas, is at the core of the premodern imaginary of animals - and still prolific in today's popular culture. Wackers's concise introduction on relevant medieval knowledge, pictures and literary texts is an excellent starting point for those who want to get on the historical trails of this fascinating - although elusive - animal."-- "Michael Waltenberger, Chair of German Medieval Literature, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich"
"Prepare to be outfoxed, as an expert tracker follows the fox in the circuitous twists of his medieval development. On this fascinating hunt, Paul Wackers finds all the lairs of this creature in learned lore and literature, especially romance, where the fox became Reynard."-- "Jan Ziolkowski, Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Medieval Latin, Harvard University"

About the Author

Paul Wackers is emeritus professor of historical Dutch literature at Utrecht University and honorary president of the International Reynard Society.