Winning the Rose

A commentary on The Romance of the Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meung by A. S. Kline

Published with illuminations, courtesy of the British Library.


Composed in the 13th century, The Romance of the Rose created by Guillaume de Lorris and continued, and completed, by Jean de Meung, is the finest poetic achievement of the French High Medieval period. This Commentary explains the structure of the work, and the intentions behind it, and considers the detailed content, chapter by chapter, identifying references, and elucidating the speeches and actions of the personifications brought to life by the allegory.