Fabliaux Fair and Foul

by John Duval, Raymond Eichmann

Fabliaux, Fair and Foul, a collection of twenty tales in translation, represents one of the most important medieval genres, the amusing verse tale, which flourished in France from the twelfth through the early fourteenth centuries. Critics now position fabliaux at the center of medieval literature and their pertinence to social classes, parodic nature, joyful tone, their derision of pomposity as well as their self-mockery, place them as counterparts to other medieval masterpieces.The comprehensive introduction discusses the origin and history of the genre and the reasons for its immense popularity in the Middle Ages, the role of jongleurs in performance and composition, and messages inherent in the tales. The fabliaux are subtly humorous, frankly scatological, both common and courtly. Each tale is prefaced by a concise introduction. A substantial and useful bibliography completes the volume.

Genres: Philosophy

Paperback

Published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabliaux were medieval French short stories, often farces about sex, that narrated single episodes and prepared the audience for an expected conclusion.

In this collection, two stories referenced castration:

The fabliau "The Fisherman from Pont-sur-Seine" involves a man who tries to make the point that his wife only loves him for sex. She protests, but he comically proves his point by pretending to have had his penis severed, at which she immediately renounces all interest in him. The ruse requires the use of a dead priest's organ, discovered by chance in the river: "At that he took his fishing knife, / Clipped the priest's penis at the root, / Washed and dried it in the boat, / Put it in his lap, and fished..." (p. 57)

The fabliau "Aloul" involves a priest who has sex with a married woman and hears menacing shouts such as: "You worthless people! What the hell / Are you doing? Help me! Hurry up! / Everybody come and help / Castrate this priest!" and "Don't wait-- / Go get a razor. We'll castrate / This priest and then go back to bed." (p. 123, 128)

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very, very vulgar; reads like dirty adult Dr. Seuss.