This collection of essays by thirteen renowned specialists in the fields of French Renaissance
literature and history is a fitting tribute to the scholarship of Pauline Smith Emeritus
Professor in French at the University of Hull and Research Associate of the Centre for Medieval
and Renaissance Studies Trinity College Dublin. The essays which focus on areas of research
to which Professor Smith has herself given - and continues to give - particular attention are
organised into two frequently converging strands: court and humour. The contributors engage
with political and cultural issues at the heart of the construction and aesthetic expression of
the French Renaissance whilst also offering insights into the broader European context. The
collection as a whole challenges and revises a number of established views and identifies paths
for future research.
