The Possibilities of Medieval Fiction

"The Possibilities of Medieval Fiction" argues that marvels in medieval travel literature function as unlikely possibilities that appeal to readers precisely because of their indeterminacy. Disputing the common idea that medieval readers accepted marvels as true, it argues that marvels...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New literary history 2020-12, Vol.51 (1), p.209-228
Main Author: Karnes, Michelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Credibility
Fiction
Inventions
Medieval literature
Middle Ages
Novels
Philosophy
Skepticism
Travel literature
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:"The Possibilities of Medieval Fiction" argues that marvels in medieval travel literature function as unlikely possibilities that appeal to readers precisely because of their indeterminacy. Disputing the common idea that medieval readers accepted marvels as true, it argues that marvels' uncertainty was an aesthetic principle designed to pique imagination. It focuses on Mandeville's Travels and shows how its author carefully positions marvels between inventions and facts.
ISSN:0028-6087
1080-661X
1080-661X
DOI:10.1353/nlh.2020.0008