As far as 1909 Dejeanne published a critical edition of the complete poems of Marcabru, which has not been replaced during ninety-one years. This new critical edition of Marcabru's complete work, prepared by Simon Gaunt, Ruth Harvey and Linda Paterson, has been preceded by a number of partial studies and contributions. The critical apparatus is generally reliable, though incomplete. The huge existing bibliography is duly put to contribution, with the exception of linguistic studies and instruments, which are either absent, either unproperly exploited. Owing to the lack of any suitable linguistic approach, the editors tend to propose a number of textual alterations, most of which must be considered as highly questionable. Indeed, this edition contains a large percentage of words no to be found in any of the mss. concerned. Moreover, the editors ascribe to Marcabru a carelessness of prosodic and metric rules, which they consider as the result of a certain 'primitivism', manifesting itself in a technique not yet sufficiently advanced. Besides totally lacking any conclusive evidence, this hypothesis must be regarded as a quite improbable one, especially when considering Marcabru's well-known, almost extravagant attention to formal devices. Highly inconsistent as a joint project, this edition must be chiefly regarded as a provisional restatement of the main textual questions linked with Marcabru's work. It will be capable of giving some good service to scholars, provided it be consulted with due caution.
