| The study of medieval Arthurian romances, one of the most influential genres of western literature, is marred by two general restrictions. First, research is highly concentrated on French literature and, to a lesser degree, on German and English texts. Secondly, Arthurian research is strongly limited by linguistic boundaries: romanists study mainly French texts, specialists in medieval English literature analyse English works, etc. Consequently, Arthurian scholarship hardly pays attention to the European dimension of the genre. The pan-European approach, focusing on the supranational coherence of the Arthurian romances in medieval Europe, avoids this narrow vision. The aim of the individual research project 'Arthurian romances' is to study textual parallels and contrasts within the whole genre of Arthurian romances. The individual research project 'Arthurian manuscripts' focuses on the manuscript context of the Arthurian romances. A synthesis will present an integrated interpretation of the results of both projects. In addition to the European scope, this interdisciplinary approach also contributes to the project&8217;s important place in the study of Arthurian literature. The project will result in a description of the evolution of Arthurian romance in medieval Europe. |
