Performing the Medieval

Storytelling in the Middle Ages, vol. 3

Series edited by Kleio Pethainou (University of Edinburgh)

BOOK DESCRIPTION 

One of the oldest forms of entertainment, storytelling can be public yet intimate, amusing yet didactic. While in the Middle Ages telling stories was an oral, communal and performative activity, our access to these stories today is largely through written sources that lack the same immediacy and performativity.

The primary focus of this volume is an examination of the different aspects of medieval storytelling and performance, and the ways these are translated for contemporary audiences today. The interdisciplinarity of the topic allows for a broad discussion that can cover a large range of topics that include, but are not limited to:

• Medieval stories for contemporary audiences

• Audience then and now

• Contemporary versions of medieval stories

• Medieval stories in contemporary narrative media, including games and gaming

• Bards, jongleurs, performers and the contemporary actor

• Storytellers and story-makers

• Telling stories and telling histories

• Performing the medieval in the classroom

• Voice to text – writing the told stories, telling the written ones

This edited volume, entitled “Performing the Medieval” will be published in Trivent’s series Storytelling and the Middle Ages. We seek additional contributions of c. 10,000 words that explore this fascinating area of research.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS

Abstracts of c. 250 words, a provisional title, and a short bio should be sent to Dr. Kleio Pethainou (kleio.pethainou@ed.ac.uk and klio.pethenou@gmail.com) by May 1st, 2024.

PUBLICATION

The volume will be published in the book series Storytelling and the Middle Ages, edited by Kleio Pethainou (University of Edinburgh).

Download the Call for Papers HERE.