Marco Polo's le Devisement du Monde

Marco Polo's Le Devisement du Monde, often titled The Travels, originated in the late thirteenth century as a chronicle of Polo's journey across Asia. Simon Gaunt’s 2013 scholarly edition, published by Boydell & Brewer, serves as a modern critical examination of these manuscripts. Gaunt aimed to provide a rigorous, nuanced translation that addresses the complexities of the original Old French versions, moving beyond the romanticized retellings that characterized early popular adaptations of Polo's accounts.

This edition is valued in academic circles for its emphasis on the materiality of the text and the linguistic evolution of Polo's narrative. Gaunt’s work situates the travelogue within its medieval literary context, exploring how the work was composed and perceived by contemporary audiences. By focusing on the structural and thematic layers of the manuscript, the edition allows readers to engage with the text as both a historical travel document and a work of literary art.