Reconstructing the Middle Ages: Gaston Paris and the Development of Nineteenth-century Medievalism

Reconstructing the Middle Ages looks at nineteenth-century medievalism in France using as a case study Gaston Paris, philologist, literary critic and professor of medieval studies. Gaston Paris's method, traditionally seen as a combination of romanticism and positivism, exemplifies several elements of nineteenth-century medievalism in the Parisian academia in late nineteenth-century France. The text investigates Gaston Paris's theories about three medieval literary genres (epic, fabliaux, and Arthurian tales) to understand how Paris's view of medieval literature and history cross-related with nationalism at a time when France was particularly vulnerable, and at which French academics were especially eager to make a long-lasting contribution. Examining the work of Gaston Paris and his interaction with other scholars in the Parisian milieu, Reconstructing the Middle Ages offers a look at academic medievalism and the history philology, linguistics and literary and textual criticism in late nineteenth-century France. In particular, the book shows that when it comes to the self-image of France, medievalism was a topic that reached far beyond the walls of academia as it was related to national pride, memory and identity.

About the Author :
Isabel DiVanna is a Research Fellow of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, and a Visiting Research Associate at King's College London. She has completed two PhDs, one at the University of Manchester, on the topic of Gaston Paris and the method of historical and literary research of late nineteenth-century medievalists, and one at the University of Cambridge, on the positivist philosophy of history of the group of historians that came to be called 'L'École méthodique.' She is currently researching the intellectual exhanges between France and Brazil in the mid to late nineteenth century, particularly focusing on positivism and the abolitionist movement. She co-edited the book Historicising the French Revolution, published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Review :
"A true work of nineteenth-century scholarship, drawing together the origins of medievalism, orientalism, positivism and nineteenth-century French nationalism through a critical and wide-ranging reading of the works of Gaston Paris." —Timothy Baycroft, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Sheffield"By applying a historian's perspective to the work of Gaston Paris, DiVanna casts new light on nineteenth-century debates about 'scientific' techniques and their role in the evaluation of medieval texts. Situating Gaston Paris against the scholarly and nationalistic currents of his time, she reappraises nineteenth-century methodologies and calls into question conceptual structures in use by medieval scholars today." —Elizabeth Emery, Professor of French, Montclair State University"Reconstructing the Middle Ages sheds light on a somewhat unknown history: the foundation of medieval studies in the late nineteenth century which witnessed the birth of different academic disciplines. Isabel DiVanna illustrates compellingly the intricate connections inside academia, as well as the contemporary politico-cultural backdrop, which deeply influenced medieval studies at its birth. This book introduces a stimulating interdisciplinary approach to the nineteenth-century critics of medieval literature, and offers an invaluable account to the study of the history of ideas." —Ji-hyun Philippa Kim, Assistant Professor of French, The City University of New York