Bibliograph

Selected fables, Jean de La Fontaine ; translated with an introduction and notes by Christopher Betts

Type

Label

Selected fables, Jean de La Fontaine ; translated with an introduction and notes by Christopher Betts

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 201-220)

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

fiction

Main title

Selected fables

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

872054845

Responsibility statement

Jean de La Fontaine ; translated with an introduction and notes by Christopher Betts

Summary

La Fontaine's verse fables turned the traditional folktales derived from Aesop and a range of Oriental sources into some of the greatest, and best-loved, poetic works in French. His versions of stories such as The Hare and the Tortoise and The Wolf and the Lamb are witty and sophisticated, satirizing human nature in miniature dramas in which the outcome is always unpredictable. The behavior of both animals and humans is usually centered on deception and cooperation (or the lack of it), as they cheat and fight each other, arguing about life and death, property and food, in an astonishing variety of narrative styles. The fables have long been popular with all ages, though their ironic take on contemporary society in French aristocratic circles is best appreciated by adults. This new translation by Christopher Betts matches the original in inventiveness and subtlety. It includes half of the fables first published in twelve books between 1668 and 1693, across the full range of subjects and themes. The fables are illustrated with a selection of Gustave Dore's majestic engravings, and an introduction offers insights into La Fontaine's life and literary artistry --, Book jacket

Table Of Contents

The early fables (books I to VI, 1668) -- The later fables (books VII to XI, 1677-8, and book XII, 1693)

Classification