This rich and lively anthology offers a broad selection of Middle English poetry from about 1200 to 1500 C.E., including more than 150 secular and religious lyrics and nine complete or extracted longer works, all translated into Modern English verse that closely resembles the original forms. Five complete satires and narratives illustrate important conventions of the period: Athelston, a historical romance; The Cock and the Fox, a beast fable by Robert Henryson; Sir Orfeo, a Breton lai; Saint Erkenwald, an alliterative saint's life; and The Land of Cockayne, a fantasy. The book concludes with substantial excerpts from longer narratives such as Piers Plowman and Confessio Amantis.

The poems are accompanied by introductions, notes, marginal glosses, source notes, and appendixes, including a bibliography and a list to help readers locate the lyrics in current original-language editions.

About the Author

Joseph Glaser is Professor of English at Western Kentucky University. His The Canterbury Tales in Modern Verse was published by Hackett in 2005.

Reviews

[An] excellent edition. Beautiful layout, attractive format. A good balance of Worldly and Religious texts.--Maryellen Keefe, Department of Humanities, SUNY Maritime College

Book Information
ISBN 9780872208797
Author Joseph Glaser
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Hackett Publishing Co, Inc
Publisher Hackett Publishing Co, Inc
Weight(grams) 284g