Publisher's Synopsis
The central themes of this study are the character of the classical tradition of the early Middle Ages - creatively adapted to 'barbarian' literary tastes - and the refashioning and invention of poetic form in response to contemporary political events. Dr Godman accompanies his revaluation of specific authors with an analysis of the critical and historical issues raised by these poets' allusive art. He pays special attention to their self-awareness, to their sensitivity to their ancient precursors, to their rivalries with their peers, and to their attempts to shape and influence perception of public affairs. He argues persuasively that the subject of Frankish politics and Carolingian poetry has historical and literary implications that reach beyond our understanding of the early Middle Ages.;Medieval historians, and students of medieval literature.
