Spirit of Medieval English Popular Romance

Ad Putter is Lecturer in the English Department of the University of Bristol, and also works for the Centre for Medieval Studies at Bristol. He is author of various books and articles on medieval literature, including An Introduction to the Gawain poet also published by Longman.Jane Gilbert is Lecturer in French at University College London. She is the author of several articles on medieval French and English romances.

'.....these new essays offer varied and thoughtful approaches to a group of relatively little known romances, and are successful in demonstrating their interest for the literary critic as well as the historian or linguist.' Corinne Saunders, Notes and Queries. 'The book is worth recommending to students as an accessible starting point...' Christopher Dyer, University of Leicester 'The reading of the articles proves in itself to be an entertaining, aesthetically satisfying and scholarly redeeming act and whets the reader's appetitie for the original texts...' - Dr Thomas Honegger, Chair of Medieval Studies, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena.

• Preface Notes on references and abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1 Lai le Freine: The Female Foundling and the Prolem of Romance Genre Chapter 2 Lanval to Sir Laurifal: A Story Becomes Popular Chapter 3 The Tale ef Gamelyn: Class Warfare and the Embarrassments of Genre Chhapter 4 The Romance Hypothetical: Lordship and the Saracens in Sir Isumbras Chapter 5 Violence, Narrative and Proper Name: Sir Degare, 'The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney', and the Folie Tristan d'OxfOrd Chapter 6 Loving Beasts: The Romance of William ef Paleme Chapter 7: The Narrative Logic of Emare Chapter 8 Tiie Seege ef Troye: 'ff or wham was wakened al this wo'? Chapter 9 Romance and Its Discontents in Eger and Grime Chapter 10 From Beyond the Grave: Darkness at Noon in Tiie Awnfyrs qff Arthure Chapter 11 Gender, Oaths and Ambiguity in Sir Tristrem and Beroul's Roman de Tristan Chapter 12 Sir Difeo: Madness and Gender bliography Notes on contributors Index