The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance

This anthology provides a fresh perspective on popular romances from medieval England, featuring essays that explore their historical context and modern relevance, including The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance.

The collection titled The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance offers readers a comprehensive guide to the Middle English popular romances that have captivated audiences since the medieval period. This anthology features twelve specially commissioned essays that delve into various romances, such as Sir Orfeo, Sir Tristrem, and Sir Launfal. Each essay not only introduces a specific romance but also contextualizes it within its historical and literary framework, providing fresh interpretations that highlight the relevance of these works in contemporary literary criticism.

The editors have crafted a substantial introduction that explores the production and transmission of popular romances during the Middle Ages. This introduction serves as a foundation for understanding how these narratives were received in their time and how they continue to resonate today. The essays collectively address the interpretative challenges posed by new theoretical approaches, encouraging readers to engage with these texts in innovative ways.

The Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance is designed to be both an accessible entry point for students of medieval literature and a resource for scholars seeking to deepen their understanding of this rich literary tradition. By suggesting strategies for interpretation, this collection aims to inspire further analytical exploration of the genre, ensuring that the legacy of these popular romances endures in the modern literary landscape.