William and the Werewolf
About The Book
William and the Werewolf – or William of Palerne – was originally translated from French and then converted into an alliterative Middle English romance by an obscure Gloucestershire scribe in ca. 1350. It is a story of how two princes overcome the wicked deeds of family members to reclaim their inheritance and build a society based on tolerance, equality, fairness and social justice. Until now, it has never been translated effectively into modern English.
Like many medieval romances, William and the Werewolf operates on many levels, leaving the reader to shape whatever message he or she wants from the verse. For example, its hero William is rescued by a werewolf to be brought up by a cowherd – this enables him to understand poverty and the need for justice when he later inherits his stolen kingdom. The werewolf is another prince, transformed by the magic of his stepmother into being unrecognisable; both the werewolf and William, stripped of their lands, enable readers to understand life as an “exile”, an “other”. William’s bride-to-be Melior also is shown not as a stereotypical “damsel in distress” but as a young woman of great agency, without whom William would fail in his quest. Melior is the brains behind William’s brawn.
Michael’s translation has been a labour of love. Only one copy of the original Middle English manuscript survives, missing its introduction and another short passage; Michael has therefore painstakingly reconstructed the opening passages by translating its Old French source and then adapting it to match the style of the extant English manuscript. In so doing, he has also begun to uncover who its original mysterious English scribe himself might be, shedding new light on the relationships between medieval lords and their servant scribes.
William is rescued by a werewolf to be brought up by a cowherd.
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
Original linocut, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing. Printed ar...
A hand-coloured linocut print of the image on the cover, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velve...
A unique, original linocut print, hand-printed then meticulously tinted with egg-based paints and signed by the author, ...
A unique, original linocut print, hand-printed then meticulously tinted with egg-based paints and signed by the author, ...
A unique, original linocut print, hand-printed then meticulously tinted with egg-based paints and signed by the author, ...
a boxed set of 16 high quality greetings cards (with envelopes) featuring linocut prints by the author (including some i...
a boxed set of 16 high quality greetings cards (with envelopes) featuring linocut prints of Viking and Anglo-Saxon art, ...
a boxed set of 16 high quality greetings cards (with envelopes) featuring linocut prints of mediaeval animals and people...
A personal thank you from Michael and a hand-written line from the poem, chosen and written by him in Middle English, fe...
ORIGINAL linocut illustration, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing...
Original linocut illustration, hand-printed and signed by the author, on 250gsm Somerset Velvet paper, ready for framing...
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