The Ysengrimus is a Latin beast epic of more than 6,500 lines, which was written in the middle of the twelfth century, probably in Ghent. It is at once one of the most important and the most neglected works of medieval literature. It is neglected mainly because it is very hard to read; not only is its Latin unusually difficult, but the peculiarly compressed and contorted nature of the poet’s wit often makes his thought difficult to follow. It is important, first of all, because it initiates a major literary tradition. It stands at the head of the long line of medieval beast-literature – the line that includes the Roman de Renart, Reinhart Fuchs, Van den Vos Reinaerde, and a whole host of others. It is the first work to make the undying hostility between the fox and the wolf into the dynamic force of a full-length narrative, and the first to invest them with fictional personalities by giving them the now familiar names of Reynard and Ysengrimus. But the importance of this Latin poem is not merely historical; it is also important in its own right as a literary masterpiece. - [Author]

Language: English

ISBN: 978-1-78533-055-1; DOI: 10.1515/9781785330551-004