Aurora Wolfgang, Professor of French in the Department of Romance and Classical Studies, has received the 2020 Award for a Scholarly Edition in Translation from the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender (SSEMWG) for her edition and translation of Gabrielle-Suzann Barbot de Villeneuse’s Beauty and the Beast: The Original Story, which was published by the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Press. 

Wolfgang’s work was praised for her handling of one of the most popular 18th-century fairy tales, with her work being hailed as scholarly and also highly accessible to the contemporary reader. The introductory material, which seeks to illuminate the publication of Beauty and the Beast in its historical and literary context, was especially praised by the awards committee, along with the high quality and clarity of Wolfgang’s English translation. In addition, this edition and translation was praised by the awards committee for its pedagogical usefulness. 

Wolfgand specializes in 17th- and 18th-century literature. Her award will be announced at the SSEMWG’s executive committee meeting and also on the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender website.

For more information about Wolfgang’s award-winning work, visit the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies website.