Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Culture

The cultural life of England over the long period from the Norman Conquest to the Reformation was rich and varied, in ways that scholars are only now beginning to understand in detail. This Companion introduces a wide range of materials that constitute the culture, or cultures, of medieval England, across fields including political and legal history, archaeology, social history, art history, religion and the history of education. Above all it looks at the literature of medieval England in Latin, French and English, plus post-medieval perspectives on the 'Middle Ages'. In a linked series of essays experts in these areas show the complex relationships between them, building up a broad account of rich patterns of life and literature in this period. The essays are supplemented by a chronology and guide to further reading, helping students build on the unique access this volume provides to what can seem a very foreign culture.

'The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Culture is rich in content and insight. It covers a wide variety of areas, ranging from legal history to post-medieval literature and cultural identities … [a] valuable addition to the field for intermediate or advanced scholars.' Geert van Iersel, English Studies, 'Its essays are accessible and useful to a wide range of students, instructors, and researchers, especially those seeking to usefully broaden their understanding of the period beyond the scope of their own specialty.' Keri Behre, Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching (SMART)

Andrew Galloway is Professor of English at Cornell University.