Product Description

This collection of twelve specially commissioned essays provides a stimulating guide to the Middle English popular romances. These were very popular in later medieval Britain and even today students of medieval literature will encounter examples of the genre, such as Sir Orfeo, Sir Tristrem, and Sir Launfal. Each essay introduces one popular romance, setting it in its literary and historical contexts, and develops an original interpretation that reveals the possibilities that popular romances offer for modern literary criticism. A substantial introduction by the editors discusses the production and transmission of popular romances in the Middle Ages, and considers the modern reception of popular romance and the interpretative challenges offered by new theoretical approaches.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #726001 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Textbook Binding
• 336 pages

Review
'.....these new essays offer varied and thoughtful approaches to a group of relatively little known romances, and are successful in demonstrating their interest for the literary critic as well as the historian or linguist.' Corinne Saunders, Notes and Queries. 'The book is worth recommending to students as an accessible starting point...' Christopher Dyer, University of Leicester 'The reading of the articles proves in itself to be an entertaining, aesthetically satisfying and scholarly redeeming act and whets the reader's appetitie for the original texts...' Dr Thomas Honegger, Chair of Medieval Studies, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena.

From the Back Cover
(front cover )
Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library logo
The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance
Ad Putter and Jane Gilbert
(spine)
The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance
Ad Putter and Jane Gilbert
Longman logo
(Back cover)
Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library
Series Editors
Charlotte Brewer, Hertford College, Oxford, and N. H. Keeble, University of Stirling
Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library is a major series of critical introductions to key literary and cultural topics from Old English to the late seventeenth century. Volumes draw on original research and are sensitive to current critical concerns, but they are designed particularly to meet the needs of students and the general reader. The key feature is the breadth and variety of coverage, providing authoritative studies on a wide range of subjects from individual authors and works to genres, periods and contexts.
The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance
Ad Putter and Jane Gilbert
The Middle English popular romances enjoyed a wide appeal in later medieval Britain, and even today students of medieval literature will encounter examples of the genre, such as Sir
Orfeo, Sir Tristrem, and Sir Launfal. This collection of twelve specially commissioned
essays is designed to meet the need for a stimulating guide to the genre. Each essay introduces one popular romance, setting it in its literary and historical contexts, and develops an original interpretation that reveals the possibilities that popular romances offer for modern literary criticism. A substantial introduction by the editors discusses the production and transmission of popular romances in the Middle Ages, and considers the modern reception of popular romance and the interpretative challenges offered by new theoretical approaches.
Accessible to advanced students of English, this book is also of interest to those working in the field of medieval studies, comparative literature, and popular culture.
Ad Putter is Lecturer in the English Department of the University of Bristol, and also works for the Centre for Medieval Studies at Bristol. He is author of various books and articles on medieval literature, including An Introduction to the Gawain poet also published by Longman.
Jane Gilbert is Lecturer in French at University College London. She is the author of several articles on medieval French and English romances.
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