2015/01/01 by Mark Cruse · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #Historical and Archaeological Studies #Linguistics and language evolution #Art #Humanities
paper · doi:10.13110/narrcult.2.2.0171
openalex publication_date 2015/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/04/04
This essay examines Marco Polo’s Devisement du monde (Description of the World) as a tale that traveled. It first discusses how Polo’s account went to France, where the elite read it. It then focuses on the manuscript framing of the Devisement through written and visual paratexts. The Devisement manuscripts are particularly striking because, although closely related textually, paratextually they are very diffferent. The varying titles assigned to the text and depictions of Polo reflect the multiple interpretive choices the Devisement offered late medieval readers. Like other tales that traveled, Polo’s account was both valuable and adaptable.