Romance and the Gentry in Late Medieval England
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:19th Jun '14
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This work explores how Middle English romances primarily catered to the gentry, England's elite landowners without noble titles, reflecting their socio-economic concerns and influencing the literary landscape of late medieval England.
Romance and the Gentry in Late Medieval England by Michael Johnston presents a compelling reexamination of Middle English romance, traditionally viewed as a reflection of popular culture. Johnston argues that these narratives primarily appealed to the gentry, a class of English landowners who, despite lacking noble titles, were significant figures in society. This work highlights how romances from 1350 to 1500 were shaped by the socio-economic realities facing the gentry, who were gaining influence during a pivotal time in England's history.
As power shifted towards the gentry by the end of the fourteenth century, they became key players in both political and economic arenas. Johnston illustrates how this transformation influenced literary culture, particularly the themes and readership of romance literature. He identifies new motifs in Middle English romances that directly addressed the gentry's economic interests, shedding light on the ways these texts resonated with their intended audience.
Beyond its contributions to social history and literary criticism, the book also engages with manuscript studies. Johnston reveals that many of the manuscripts containing these gentry romances were produced by individuals closely associated with the gentry themselves. By bridging the gap between literary analysis and manuscript studies, this work invites both communities to consider the broader cultural implications of these texts and their physical forms, enriching our understanding of medieval literature and its societal context.
The book is beautifully written, balancing a wealth of detailed information with a sense of broader themes... but what struck me was Johnstons ability to make a familiar text seem fresh and innovative, and this continued through the book. * Lucy Allen, University of Cambridge. *
The combination of socio-cultural, literary and bibliographical analysis here is deftly handled; Michael Johnson has produced an informed and mostly persuasive experiment in exploring books and their readers * Julia Boffey, The Times Literary Supplement *
Johnston has managed to amass and present a large amount of material from which he has teased a fascinating conclusion. It is a welcome addition to the substantial historiography which exists for studies of the gentry, book culture and manuscript production in the late medieval period. It is written in a manner which is accessible to the expert and to the relatively inexperienced -- the focus on literary romance should not discourage those who are less well-versed in the discipline ... an insightful, fascinating contribution to our understanding of the world of the gentry of late medieval England, and in particular to their relationship with contemporary literary culture. * Katie Bridger, Reviews in History *
Michael Johnston's Romance and the Gentry in Late Medieval England is an impressive first book ... convincing both in terms of his argument and in terms of the research underlying it ... Johnston has added greatly to our understanding of both the genre of medieval romance and its consumers, resulting in a book that is both satisfying in its conclusions and inspiring in its scope. * Deborah Seiler, Parergon *
Johnston has done meticulous work in the archives and printed records as well as on the manuscripts themselves ... scholars of both Middle English romance and gentry culture will do well to take note. * Helen Cooper, English Historical Review *
ISBN: 9780199679782
Dimensions: 222mm x 147mm x 25mm
Weight: 522g
318 pages