Medieval Literature and Culture: A student guide

Description

Continuum's Introductions to British Literature and Culture series provide practical guides to key literary periods. Guides in the series help to orientate students as they begin a new module or area of study, providing concise information on the historical, cultural, literary and critical context and acting as an initial map of the knowledge needed to study the literature and culture of a specific period. Each guide includes an overview of the historical period, intellectual contexts, major genres, critical approaches and a guide to original research and resource materials in the area, enabling students to progress confidently to further study. The Guide to Medieval Literature and Culture provides students with the ideal introduction to literature and its context from the 7th to 15th centuries, including: - the historical, cultural and intellectual background including religion and philosophy; society and politics; art and culture - major works and genres including religious literature; history writing; drama; Chaucer; Langland - concise explanations of key terms needed to understand the literature and criticism - key critical approaches to medieval literature from the Renaissance to the present - a chronology mapping historical events and literary works and further reading including websites and electronic resources.

Andrew Galloway is Professor of English and Medieval Studies at Cornell University. He is the author of The Penn Commentary on Piers Plowman, Vol. I (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006), and numerous essays and chapters on medieval literature.

'As the first publication in a new series of introductory guides to 'key literary periods', Medieval Literature and Culture sets a daunting precedent for the forthcoming books. In just over 150 pages, Andrew Galloway gives an accessible, wide-ranging and cohesive overview of sprawling near-millennium of British history and literature, as well as more than 450 years of subsequent literary study, without over-simplifying his subject matter.'- Alyssa McDonald, TLS 'This book will be particularly useful to those seeking a generalized knowledge of the period, but it will also serve as reference to specialists wanting a quick double-check of particular facts. Galloway writes in a clear style and, to his credit, eschews technical jargon. Summing up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.' Choice 'As English and other modern language departments expand their spheres of study to become more interdisciplinary, this move towards greater contextualizing of literature has necessitated new introductory textbooks for students. Publishers like Continuum are filling this need with surveys such as this one, designated for medieval period courses in British Literature and are offering an alternative to the introductions contained in standard multipart period anthologies like these published by Norton, Oxford, Longman, and Blackwell...Galloway's book is worthy addition to the genre.' Peter H. Goodrich, Northern Michigan University, Arthuriana, Vol. 17, No. 4, Winter 2007 'Concept looks good ... I like the idea... they should do very well' -- Lee Morgan, Head of Sales at Compass * Blurb from reviewer * 'This looks excellent; I shall look forward to seeing the first texts.' - Jennifer Nicholson, University of Newcastle * Blurb from reviewer * 'your new series looks interesting and timely' - Professor Elaine Treharne, University of Leicester (Chair of the English Association) * Blurb from reviewer * 'this is a book which we would like our first years to have read - a guide which gives the information without which a student would be entirely at sea.' - Professor Lisa Hopkins, Sheffield Hallam University (from proposal) * Blurb from reviewer * '[this] series offers both the student reader and teacher exciting and invaluable interventions in and reorientations around questions of history, culture, and period ... With brio, verve, and an admirable brevity, the series grounds our understanding of literature and culture in thought-provoking and highly original ways. ... an indispensible series that will set the benchmark for all such surveys and overviews.' - Julian Wolfreys, Professor of Victorian Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Florida. * Blurb from reviewer *