Even if Reynard the Fox is portrayed as a ruthless villain, it is actually was inconceivable that he should ever be regarded as anything but the waggish rogue who above all exposes a thoroughly rotten society rooted in authority and power. Does he not demonstrate the age-old truth that evil can only be countered with evil? One after another he makes a mockery of court procedures and conventions in high society. These are seen to be only a veneer on the meanest egotism. And all this is presented in the manner of a mordant parody of the courtly literature of the time, which, while entertaining the courtiers, also provides them with a firm historical basis for their lofty status. - [Author]

Language: English