Spanish and Portuguese ETDs

Publication Date

5-4-1977

Abstract

The Libro de Alexandre is a thirteenth-century Spanish epic poem of the life and conquests of Alexander the Great of Macedonia. It is composed of slightly over 2,600 stanzas written in cuaderna vía. Two scholars have presented previous editions of the Paris manuscript of the poem in an attempt to make it available to students of mediaeval Spanish language and literature. Their editions, however, present the text in isolation and students must possess sophisticated knowledge of mediaeval Spanish in order to understand the complexities of the poem.

This edition attempts to provide an integrated version, one in which all of the elements essential for comprehension are found in one unit. A complete and original transcription of the poem has been provided from a microfilm of the Paris manuscript. It is accompanied throughout by a succinct English commentary. The introductory material serves to establish the circumferences of the study, to provide some information about Alexander source material to the unknown poet, to introduce some of the poet's attitudes toward Alexander, and to explain certain poetic and linguistic decisions made for the presentation of the edition. The poem is accompanied by a section devoted to textual notes which explain certain contextual, paleographic, syntactic and historical problems. Following the notes is an Index of Proper Names and Places which occur in the text. Finally, there is an extensive Old Spanish-English etymological vocabulary.

This edition, then, can be utilized by students of Old Spanish without having to consult extensive or obscure reference materials.

Degree Name

Spanish & Portuguese (PhD)

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Spanish and Portuguese

First Committee Member (Chair)

Julian E. White Jr.

Second Committee Member

Sam H. Gugler

Third Committee Member

Jack E. Tomlins

Document Type

Dissertation

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