The Romance of the Rose, Guillaume (1237); 1 of 4, Sept 7, 2025, Lines 1-4058

Here is what our Classics reading group is going to do during the interregnum between the just-completed Dante sessions and our forthcoming Chaucer term (starting Nov 2nd).

We are going to take August off, so you can fully concentrate on your European vacations. In September and October 2025 we will read and discuss The Romance of the Rose [TROTR] by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. This most-read work of the 13th and 14th centuries introduces the genre of courtly love through allegory in Part I (1237) and then proceeds to satirize the same in the much longer Part II (1277).

The Romance of the Rose is a provocative French allegorical poem exploring love, desire, and gender roles through vivid symbolism and satirical wit. Its layered narrative, combining romantic fantasy with philosophical debate, invites lively modern discussion about medieval views on relationships, misogyny, and courtly ideals. With its mix of wit, controversy, and historical significance, this classic sparks conversations on the evolution of romance and literature, making it a thought-provoking and relevant choice for us.

You will have the choice to read a verse or prose translation.

Text:
TROTR, 3rd Ed. Prose translation by Charles Dahlberg. Princeton UP, 1995. ISBN: 9780691044569
and/or:
TROTR, Verse translation by Henry Robbins. NY: Dutton & Co., 1962. ISBN: 9780452010833 [used: $5+]

Schedule:
Sept 7, 2025: TROTR by Guillaume de Lorris, Lines 1-4058
Sept 21, 2025: TROTR by Jean de Meun, Lines 4059-10002
Oct 5, 2025: TROTR by Jean de Meun, Lines 10003-15890
Oct 19, 2025: TROTR by Jean de Meun, Lines 15891-21780

Online:
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Up next in 2025-26 (subject to change):
Nov 2nd, Chaucer, TCT and T&C
Jan: Homer Iliad & Odyssey
Apr: Virgil: Aeneid & Georgics
Spring: Ovid/Horace