Sentimental and Humorous Romances

These five texts by anonymous authors comprise a rich genre introduction to Middle English romance. Covering several texts surviving from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, Sentimental and Humorous Romances presents readers with tales both widely read and rare in their circulation, ranging from stories of Charlemagne’s ancestors to fringe Arthuriana, each with its own spin on the core theme of an unlikely love interest. Selections include a quintessential example of medieval European orientalism in Floris and Blancheflour, regional conflict in Sir Degrevant, the secrecy-driven lovers’ tale of The Squire of Low Degree, and two comic burlesques set at a tournament feast. This edition is well-suited to use by newcomers to Middle English romance, while providing more familiar readers with striking examples of the genre’s diverse thematic interests.