Robert the Devil - (Paperback)

About the Book

English translation of an anonymous thirteenth-century French poem in which a woman desperate to bear a child appeals to the devil for help. Originally written in octosyllabic rhymed couplets, this translation uses free verse.

Book Synopsis

English translation of an anonymous thirteenth-century French poem in which a woman desperate to bear a child appeals to the devil for help. Originally written in octosyllabic rhymed couplets, this translation uses free verse.

Review Quotes

"A welcome addition to the slew of recent translations of less-known French romances."

--M. Aaij, Choice

"A welcome, engaging translation of an often underrated romance."

--Catherine Léglu, French Studies

"An excellent translation that will appeal to medieval enthusiasts, fans of chivalric romance, and French literature."

--Erica Swenson Danowitz, Library Journal

"Rosenberg's lively, yet faithful rendition of this classic tale is a welcome addition to the corpus of works in Old French now available to a wider audience. The legend's vitality in the various adaptations it has assumed, along with Robert's devilish charisma, make the text an important subject for further research in genre and character studies."

--Stacey Hahn, Speculum

"Translations should be measured against their purpose, and Rosenberg easily meets his declared intentions. This is 'a work suitable for recitation, a work whose rhythms and sonorities bespeak the presence [...] of a storyteller.' Whether as teaching aid or pleasure read, this translation of Robert's tale brings medieval Europe to life with aplomb."

--Nicholas D. Brodie, Parergon

"Samuel N. Rosenberg is one of the most accomplished and capable translators of Old French texts working today. He has now applied his admirable skills to Robert le Diable, a fascinating romance of the thirteenth century."

--Norris J. Lacy, editor of Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate in Translation

"This elegant translation makes the thirteenth-century Old French saint's legend of Robert le diable available to an English-speaking audience for the first time. The poem, rendered here into vigorous free verse that captures the spirit of the original, was extremely popular (and widely translated) in the Middle Ages, but has been relatively neglected by modern scholars. Samuel Rosenberg includes an excellent introduction and bibliography. I recommend the volume highly."

--Maureen Boulton, author of Sacred Fictions of Medieval France: Narrative Theology in the Lives of Christ and the Virgin, 1150-1500

About the Author

Samuel N. Rosenberg was Professor Emeritus of French and Italian at Indiana University. He edited and translated numerous works, including Paul Verlaine: A Bilingual Selection of His Verse and Robert de Reims: Songs and Motets, both published by Penn State University Press.