Written approximately between 1150 and 1450, the Middle English Breton Lays emulate the Lais of Marie de France, regarded as one of the first female writers to compose poetry in her own vernacular language. Following the lai genre, these Middle English poems are short, rhymed narratives of love, marriage, and chivalry, often involving encounters with fairies and other Celtic supernatural figures. Each of the eight poems in this volume—Sir Orfeo, Lay le Freine, Sir Degare, Emare, Sir Launfal, Sir Gowther, Erle of Tolous, and Sir Cleges—reveal differences in dialect that showcase the complexity of the Breton Lay genre as representative of different English regional areas and manuscripts, and the overarching themes of each lay offer insights into medieval English family values, interpersonal morals, and romantic ideals. This edition improves upon its predecessors by furnishing introductory readers with detailed introductory statements and notes for each of the lays.
