Leslie Casson
Encyclopedia
Leslie Frank Casson was a mediaevalist
and art historian. Born in England, he was professor of English Language and Medieval Literature at the University of Cape Town
, South Africa
, from 1952-68, where he was also head of the department. His area of interest extended from Latin manuscripts to the poetry of Edmund Spenser
. He also worked on the manuscripts in the Grey Collection, the library bequeathed by George Grey
to the National Library of South Africa
; it comprises 5,000 volumes, including 115 manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
. For the Early English Text Society
, he edited the Middle English romance
Sir Degrevant
.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and art historian. Born in England, he was professor of English Language and Medieval Literature at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, from 1952-68, where he was also head of the department. His area of interest extended from Latin manuscripts to the poetry of Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, and one of the greatest poets in the English...
. He also worked on the manuscripts in the Grey Collection, the library bequeathed by George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...
to the National Library of South Africa
National Library of South Africa
The National Library of South Africa is the agency of the government of South Africa which maintains a national library of all published materials relating to the country.-Creation under the National Library Act:...
; it comprises 5,000 volumes, including 115 manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. For the Early English Text Society
Early English Text Society
The Early English Text Society is an organization to reprint early English texts, especially those only available in manuscript. Most of its volumes are in Middle English and Old English...
, he edited the Middle English romance
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
Sir Degrevant
Sir Degrevant
Sir Degrevant is a Middle English romance from the early fifteenth century. Generally classified as a "composite romance," that is, a romance that does not fit easily into the standard classification of romances, it is praised for its realism and plot...
.