Far from being a modern invention, virtual space is a characteristic element of the courtly epic of the High Middle Ages. The performative act of narration engenders two virtual spaces, the narrative space and the space of the story, which only last as long as the literary communication and only exist for the participants. Literary space is thus closely intertwined with the act of narration, which is reflected in the stories themselves.

Silvan Wagner, University of Bayreuth, Germany.