Backgrounds to Medieval Literature.

Author / Editor
Ackerman, Robert A.

Title
Backgrounds to Medieval Literature.

Published
New York: Random House, 1966,

Physical Description
xviii, 171 pp.; 6 illus.

Description
Introduces "Social and Religious Backgrounds" to Old English and to Middle English literatures in separate chapters, along with one chapter each on developments in the medieval English language, "Popular Christian Doctrine" of the era, and the medieval "World View"; also includes a chapter on critical approaches to these literatures—rhetorical study, source study, folklore studies, and allegorical criticism. Refers to Chaucer frequently when giving examples, details, or illustrations of generalizations, citing him much more often than his contemporaries.

Chaucer Subjects
Background and General Criticism