The Author: James R. Simpson is Senior Lecturer in French at the University of Glasgow, UK. He is the author of Fantasy, Identity and Misrecognition in Medieval French Narrative.

«Simpson's writing style is clever, playful, creative – and for that reason supremely appropriate to an analysis of Chrétien de Troyes. [...] Simpson is as hilarious as he is insightful, a perfect match between writer and subject.» (Jeffrey J. Cohen, In the Middle)

• Contents: Postcolonial approaches to medieval literature – Arthurian literature and its sources – Kingship and charismatic authority – Court scandal in medieval literature – Cultural relations/conflict in medieval literature – Tournaments in medieval literature – Representations of marriage in medieval literature – Court ceremony in medieval literature – Court society in medieval literature – Representations of royal anger – Food and court society – Sexuality in medieval literature – Giants and monstrosity in medieval literature – Monstrosity and sexuality in medieval literature – Suicide in medieval literature – Intertextual relations in vernacular literature – Consolation in medieval literature – Burlesque in medieval literature – Queer theory and medieval literary studies.