1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910332652303321

Autore

Gray Douglas <1930->

Titolo

Make we merry more and less : an anthology of medieval English popular literature / / selected and introduced by Douglas Gray ; edited by Jane Bliss

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Open Book Publishers, 2019

Cambridge, UK : , : Open Book Publishers, , [2019]

©2019

ISBN

1-78374-712-9

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xx, 396 pages)

Disciplina

820.9001

Soggetti

English literature - Middle English, 1100-1500 - History and criticism

English literature - Early modern, 1500-1700 - History and criticism

Popular literature - England - History and criticism

Literature and folklore - Great Britain

Renaissance - England

Folk literature, English - History and criticism

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Sommario/riassunto

Conceived as a companion volume to the well-received Simple Forms: Essays on Medieval English Popular Literature(2015), Make We Merry More and Less is a comprehensive anthology of popular medieval literature from the twelfth century onwards. Uniquely, the book is divided by genre, allowing readers to make connections between texts usually presented individually.  This anthology offers a fruitful exploration of the boundary between literary and popular culture, and showcases an impressive breadth of literature, including songs, drama, and ballads. Familiar texts such as the visions of Margery Kempe and the Paston family letters are featured alongside lesser-known works, often oral. This striking diversity extends to the language: the anthology includes Scottish literature and original translations of Latin and French texts.  The illuminating introduction offers essential



information that will enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the chosen texts. Each of the chapters is accompanied by a clear summary explaining the particular delights of the literature selected and the rationale behind the choices made. An invaluable resource to gain an in-depth understanding of the culture of the period, this is essential reading for any student or scholar of medieval English literature, and for anyone interested in folklore or popular material of the time.