On the Evolution of Toads in the French Renaissance
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10426422 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michael Randall (Brandeis University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2004 |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 126-164 |
| Publication date | 2004-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Renaissance Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0034-4338 • E-ISSN: 1935-0236 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2307/1262376 |
| OpenAlex | W4415480288 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 5 |
According to a popular legend in the Middle Ages, toads were used as the arms of the king of France before Clovis's conversion to Christianity. This paper follows the evolution of these symbolic toads in literary, juridical, and historical texts, as they adapt to changing political environments in the Renaissance. In general, the toads were used to compare negatively with the virtuous lilies during the Middle Ages in France. As monarchical power became more absolute, writers tried to adapt the toads to this new political context, but the toads tended to disappear in France while they flourished in other countries, such as the Spanish Netherlands, where they were sometimes exploited as part of a polemic against the French
Legend · Monarchy · Politics · Power (physics · The Renaissance · Advanced Numerical Analysis Techniques · Architecture and Art History Studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |