Comic Tales of the Middle Ages: An Anthology and Commentary

Author / Editor
Wolterbeek, Marc.

Title
Comic Tales of the Middle Ages: An Anthology and Commentary

Published
New York, Westport, Conn., and London: Greenwood Press, 1991.

Physical Description
xxvi, 243 pp.

Series
Contributions to the Study of World Literature, no. 39.

Description
Defines and traces the development of three genres of early medieval Latin comic literature: ridicula ("funny stories in rhythmic verse"), nugae ("trifles" of learned poets), and satyrae (vevality satires). Such tales, especially ridicula, anticipate venacular fabliaux. The appendix anthologizes fourteen examples, each translated.

Chaucer Subjects
Background and General Criticism.
Canterbury Tales--General.