Vernacular Poetics in the Middle Ages deals with the attitudes and assumptions about vernacular poetry from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. In contrast to most previous studies, the essays consider not only the formal poetics but, more importantly, the self-conscious examination of poetry which is increasingly evident in the poems themselves in this period as writers turn from Latin to the imperfect, mutable language of the vernacular. The approaches of the contributors to this volume represent a variety of methodologies and points of view, valid in their own right, and complementary in their visions. The conclusions, in many cases, qualify our assumptions about the body of vernacular literature and draw attention to issues we must now begin to address. Scholars considering the major European vernaculars and the development of vernacular poetics will take great interest in this collection of essays that range from broad surveys of the changing conceptions of poetry to close studies of the emerging literary languages in France, Germany, Italy, England, and Scotland and the significant contributions of individual poets.
