Medieval Literature

Miller argues that one incarnation of monstrosity in the Middle Ages—the female body—exists in special relation to medieval conceptualizations of the monstrous. Because female corporeality is pervasive, proximate, and necessary, it illustrates the supreme allure and danger of the monster, thereby hi..

An indepth work on the origins of the Merlin of Arthurian legend, this book examines early texts - Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and Vita Merlini; the Vulgate cycle, Suite du Merlin; and finally Malory’s work...

The first group of essays in this volume explores the links between early Norse literature, from the 9th to the 13th century, and the learned world of medieval Europe. In the second group the focus is upon the range of theme and style in Norse mythological poetry. Some of the key texts are considere..

Playing the Canterbury Tales addresses the additions, continuations and reordering found in early copies of the Canterbury Tales. Using examples and theories from new media studies, Higl demonstrates that the Tales are best viewed as an 'interactive fiction.' Readers participated in the on-going cre..

Radical Pastoral, 1381-1594 argues that the ostensibly revolutionary character of early Protestant literary culture was deeply indebted to medieval satirical writing. Indeed, the author shows that Protestant literature may be viewed as a remarkable crystallisation of the textual movements and polemi..

Radical Pastoral, 1381-1594 argues that the ostensibly revolutionary character of early Protestant literary culture was deeply indebted to medieval satirical writing. Indeed, the author shows that Protestant literature may be viewed as a remarkable crystallisation of the textual movements and polemi..

Remembering Boethius explores the rich intersection between the reception of Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy and the literary construction of aristocratic identity. Elliott presents new interpretations of Machaut's Confort d'ami, Remede de Fortune and Fonteinne amoureuse, Froissart's Prison amo..

Remembering Boethius explores the rich intersection between the reception of Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy and the literary construction of aristocratic identity. Elliott presents new interpretations of Machaut's Confort d'ami, Remede de Fortune and Fonteinne amoureuse, Froissart's Prison amo..

As the first woman, Eve was the pattern for all her daughters. The importance of readings of Eve for understanding how women were viewed at various times is a critical commonplace, but one which has been only narrowly investigated. This book systematically explores the different ways in which Eve wa..

This collection visits the dramatic poems of Old Norse heroic legend and is a companion volume to The Poetic Edda: Essays on Old Norse Mythology (Routledge, 2002), considering speech act and feminist theory, queer theory and psychoanalytic theory (among others) to raise new questions about the poetr..

The facetia, as a literary form, has an ancient lineage, while, if we regard it merely as a humorous tale or jocular anecdote, its history must be almost as old as the first laughs and smiles of prehistoric man...

Contributors analyze works by Dante, Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, and Milton among others to track the development of sustained, nuanced rhetorics of bodily disease and health ” physical, emotional, and spiritual. Focusing on literary genres (epic, lyric, satire, drama, sermon) and cultural..