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Divers Book Reviews Jan van Seist |
Fair gentles and gentle readers,
One problem that we all face as we strive to recapture the spirit of past ages is gaining a feeling of what that spirit actually is. History books and scholarly works on medieval culture are useful but can be less than enthralling. Californian pulp-fantasy novels with Welsh elves, neo-nazi goblins, dragons and spaceships can be enthralling but are often less than useful. A good solution (in my opinion) is to read the stuff that the people of the period that you are interested in read and enjoyed. If you are interested in medieval Wales, why not read the Mabinogion(1) instead of Claude G. Sprockett's Llulluwe of Llandudno trilogy(2)?
"Why not?" I hear you say, "I'll tell you why not. I've tried reading period stuff and I find it both incomprehensible and dull. Go away, I'm up to the raunchy bit where Llulluwe bonks Yfydd the bard in Sir Nigel's dungeon". Alas, this criticism is not entirely unjustified. Many period texts are difficult to read and are made even less readable by idiot academics who feel the need to translate medieval texts into medieval-sounding English. Fortunately, this is by no means true of all period material and thanks to the efforts of various publishing houses (most notably Penguin and Oxford) readable versions of just about everything are readily available in South Africa(3). To encourage you to dive once more into the scribblings of our historical period, here are brief descriptions of four of the more readable/entertaining publications.
Njal's Saga (Icelandic 12th century(4))
LA Law with battle axes(5). Njal's saga provides good winter reading for those of you with Viking tendencies. Starring Hlustfoll long-legs as the scheming super-bitch and Njal himself as the legal genius, this cheerful story of murder and lust is filled with tense courtroom dramas and heroic battle scenes (often combined) that will keep the reader enthralled right up to its happy climax(6). Fun for the whole family. Njal and co.'s unique approach to cutting through legal technicalities is certainly an eye opener(7).
The Decameron by Boccaccio (Italian 14th century)
One hundred (hence the name) short stories set in the elegant decadence of the Italian renaissance. Perfect reading for the would be courtier. The majority are amusing, clever and entertaining and the rest are short. However, those among you that are more chaste than chased may find Boccacchio a little distressing. He was clearly a gentleman who, had he been a citizen of ancient Rome, would have out-declined the best of them. Most of the stories have rather a lot of what is euphemistically described as "adult" content. English translations often leave the really explicit stories in the original Italian. Good excuse to start learning.
Till Eulenspiegel (German 15th century)
Spike Milligan once remarked that American humour is very funny - if you're about seven. The same goes for reformation Germany. Another collection of short stories, Till does contain many excellent anecdotes. However, they are about as elegant and subtle as an Australian at Oktoberfest. If you like your humour slapstick and think that defecating in someone's hat, pastry, shoe, saddle bags etc. would be an excellent practical joke, you'll like Till. Otherwise, get a childrens version (it'll have all the non-toilet orientated stories in it. Both of them.) Recommended for those with French or Italian persona who wish to justify their contempt for their Germanic neighbours.
Bill Shakespeare's plays (English 16th century)
Easily accessible in book form but why bother. Do the Elizabethan thing and go and watch them. Most of Bill's plays fit one of three categories:
"Histories" - Crude Tudor propaganda with little literary merit and less historical credibility, filled in with over the top battle scenes and heroic speeches. Rather like Braveheart. Recommended viewing: Henry V or Richard III on video washed down with a few beers, after a hard days fighter practice. Good wholesome fun.
Tragedies - Serious stuff, but not too bad if you're in the right sort of mood. If you're feeling romantic, try Romeo and Juliet, if hen-pecked, try Macbeth, and if suicidal, Hamlet(8).
Comedies - easily the most fun. With summer approaching, why not get a group of friends together, whip up some completely over the top Elizabethan garb, and steal the show at "Shakespeare under the stars" or whatever they are calling it this year. If nothing else, the opportunity to run a rapier through a mugger as you walk through the park will undoubtedly make your night. If your courage fails "Much Ado About Nothing" (I recommend the Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson version) at home on the video isn't a bad second best.
(1) A set of short Welsh fantasy stories written in period.
(2) A particularly nauseating five volume pseudo-Celtic fantasy trilogy published by Starbeam press, San Francisco. It is full of self-actualised heroines in touch with their inner-being leading sensitive, sexually-enlightened, new-age Welsh peasants in their fight for liberty and freedom. Oh, and a vegetarian dragon with telepathic powers.
(3) Usually for R5 or less from a charity or second-hand bookshop such as CAFDA in Cape Town.
(4) The dates in these reviews are not reliable. I plucked them out of my, um, memory.
(5) This is not original but, as I can't remember where I first saw it, I'm going to plagiarise it anyway.
(6) The most prominent lawyer in Iceland being burned alive in his homestead.
(7) Interestingly enough all the lawyers in Njal's saga are amateurs. Receiving money for legal services was punishable by death in medieval Iceland - a most praiseworthy custom.
(8) Don't try Othello! Watching a successful black high flyer being driven to self-destruction by jealous white colleagues is a little too close to the bone for the new South Africa. This is the SCA. We're supposed to be escapist, damn it!
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