audiobook Vivian Maier: Self-Portraits by Vivian Maier in Arts-Photography

Description

This book explores how the cultural distinctions and conflicts between Anglo-Saxons and Normans originating with the Norman Conquest of 1066 prevailed well into the fourteenth century and are manifest in a significant number of Middle English romances including King Horn; Havelok the Dane; Sir Orfeo; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; and others. Specifically; the study looks at how the material culture of these poems (architecture; battle tactic; landscapes) systematically and persistently distinguishes between Norman and Anglo-Saxon cultural identity. Additionally; it examines the influence of the English Outlaw Tradition; itself grounded in Anglo-Saxon resistance to the Norman Conquest; as expressed in specific recurring scenes (disguise and infiltration; forest exile) found in many Middle English romances. In the broadest sense; a significant number of Middle English romances; including some of the most well-read and often-taught; set up a dichotomy of two ruling houses headed by a powerful lord; who compete for power and influence. This book examines the cultural heritage behind each of these pairings to show how poets repeatedly contrast essentially Norman and Anglo-Saxon values and ruling styles.