{"product_id":"the-trial-of-womankind-martin-le-franc-9780786422401","title":"The Trial of Womankind: A Rhyming Translation of Book IV of the Fifteenth-Century Le Champion des Dames","description":"\u003cp\u003e Medieval literature makes it plain that the Battle of the Sexes has been alive and raging since at least the Middle Ages. As depicted by Martin Le Franc in \u003ci\u003eLe Champion des Dames\u003c\/i\u003e, this battle takes on literally epic proportions. Translated from the original Middle French by Steven Millen Taylor, the fourth book of Le Franc's poem comes to life for the modern English reader as \u003ci\u003eThe Trial of Womankind.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This allegorical poem from the mid-fifteenth century offers a dynamic dialogue between both sides of the \u003ci\u003eQuerelle des Femmes\u003c\/i\u003e, the \"debate over women.\" In rhyming octaves, Le Franc constructs an allegorical courtroom where two attorneys named Free Will and Slow Wit argue, respectively, the cases for and against women. Calling upon classical and contemporary examples from the Nine Muses and the Queen of Sheba to the Popess Joan and Joan of Arc, the attorneys tell a lively story while making plain the political, religious, and social issues of the time. With subtle humor, keen insight, and compelling erudition, Le Franc invites his readers to participate in this exchange over questions still relevant today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This translation faithfully renders the literal meaning of the Middle French text while maintaining the original ababbcbc rhyme scheme and stanzaic structure essential to the voice of the work. With historical introduction and notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Martin Le Franc\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0786422408\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780786422401\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e McFarland \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/15\/2005\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 232\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.71lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.04h x 6.10w x 0.54d","brand":"Martin Le Franc","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48435692798207,"sku":"9780786422401","price":49.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_5f8bf929-f4b2-44f3-9a5d-d2c44f49edd5.jpg?v=1777152068","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-trial-of-womankind-martin-le-franc-9780786422401","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}