Distributed for University of Wales Press
Nature and Medieval Literature
An account of the varying responses to nature found in major medieval literature.
Nature and Medieval Literature investigates medieval writers who explore natural themes but also critique the human world through the patterns of nature. Starting with a consideration of ecological criticism in general, it shows how Welsh, French, and English authors deal differently with the Peredur/Perceval story. It then embarks on full-chapter studies of the treatment of nature in a range of major authors and texts: the work of Chaucer, then the Scottish Chaucerians, Dunbar and Henryson, the medieval and early modern outlaw myths (mostly about Robin Hood), the medieval English romances, and finally, a range of medieval English lyrics. In each case, it is shown how the texts at times represent the actual forces and patterns of the natural and animal worlds, but how in other cases—and sometimes overlapping with an understanding of nature itself—authors can use the natural and animal world as a basis for a critique of the human and increasingly urban world of the medieval period.
Nature and Medieval Literature investigates medieval writers who explore natural themes but also critique the human world through the patterns of nature. Starting with a consideration of ecological criticism in general, it shows how Welsh, French, and English authors deal differently with the Peredur/Perceval story. It then embarks on full-chapter studies of the treatment of nature in a range of major authors and texts: the work of Chaucer, then the Scottish Chaucerians, Dunbar and Henryson, the medieval and early modern outlaw myths (mostly about Robin Hood), the medieval English romances, and finally, a range of medieval English lyrics. In each case, it is shown how the texts at times represent the actual forces and patterns of the natural and animal worlds, but how in other cases—and sometimes overlapping with an understanding of nature itself—authors can use the natural and animal world as a basis for a critique of the human and increasingly urban world of the medieval period.
312 pages | 5.43 x 8.5 | © 2024
Literature and Literary Criticism: General Criticism and Critical Theory
Reviews
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
1. Towards Ecocriticism
2. Medieval Ecocriticism
3. Ecocritical Approaches in this Study
Chapter 1 Nature and Medieval Welsh Literature
1.Early Poetry
2.Medieval Prose Stories: Culhwch ac Olwen
3.Medieval Prose Stories: the Mabinogi
4.The Human and Natural Poetic Sublime
Chapter 2 Nature in Mainstream Romances: Perceval de Galles (Le Conte du Graal), Peredur and Sir Perceval of Galles
1.Introduction
2.A Forest Dweller Turned Knight
2.1Perceval de Galles
2.2Peredur
2.3Sir Perceval of Galles
3.The Hero Ventures Alone in the World
3.1Perceval de Galles
3.2Peredur
3.3Sir Perceval of Galles
4The Hero Resolves His Errors
4.1 Perceval de Galles
4.2 Peredur
4.3 Sir Perceval of Galles
5. Conclusion
Chapter 3 Chaucer’s Use of Nature in Representation, Narrative and Analysis
1. Introduction
2. Nature and Society Encounter: The Book of the Duchess
3. Negative Nature and Social Culture: The Book of Fame
4. Nature Celebrated and Variegated: The Parlement of Foules
5. Nature, Conflict and Tragedy: Troilus and Criseyde
6. Nature, the Human, and the Unnatural World: the General Prologue to The
Canterbury Tales
7. Engagement with and Separation from Nature: The Canterbury Tales
7.1 Tales with Little or No Engagement with Nature
7.2 Tales which Deal Extensively with Nature
7.3 Tales which Deal with Nature in a Limited Way
Chapter 4 Nature in the Scottish Chaucerians
1.Introduction
2.Dunbar
2.1 Nature and Royalty
2.2Nature and Love
2.3Night and Darkness
2.4 Negative Nature
3.Henryson
3.1 The Moral Fabillis
3.2 Nature in Henryson’s Other Work
3.2.1 Embedded Nature
3.2.2 Dark Nature
3.2.3 Natural Context Openings
4 Conclusion
Chapter 5 Nature in Medieval English Romances
1.Introduction
2.Limited Treatment of Nature
3.From the Forest Onwards
4.Romances with the Natural World Recurring Throughout
5.Romances with Nature Involved in the Plot
6.Conclusion
Chapter 6 Nature and the English Outlaw Myth
1.Nature and the Outlaw Ballad
2.Lord Robin of the Forest
3.Robin Hood and the Romantic Natural Context
4.Nature and Outlaw Novels, Poetry and Drama
Chapter 7 Nature in Medieval English Lyrics
1.Introduction
2.Nature Itself
3.May-time and Love
4.Nature and the Spiritual World
5.Nature and a Negative Human Context
6.Nature Ironic and Vulgar
7.Conclusion
Introduction
1. Towards Ecocriticism
2. Medieval Ecocriticism
3. Ecocritical Approaches in this Study
Chapter 1 Nature and Medieval Welsh Literature
1.Early Poetry
2.Medieval Prose Stories: Culhwch ac Olwen
3.Medieval Prose Stories: the Mabinogi
4.The Human and Natural Poetic Sublime
Chapter 2 Nature in Mainstream Romances: Perceval de Galles (Le Conte du Graal), Peredur and Sir Perceval of Galles
1.Introduction
2.A Forest Dweller Turned Knight
2.1Perceval de Galles
2.2Peredur
2.3Sir Perceval of Galles
3.The Hero Ventures Alone in the World
3.1Perceval de Galles
3.2Peredur
3.3Sir Perceval of Galles
4The Hero Resolves His Errors
4.1 Perceval de Galles
4.2 Peredur
4.3 Sir Perceval of Galles
5. Conclusion
Chapter 3 Chaucer’s Use of Nature in Representation, Narrative and Analysis
1. Introduction
2. Nature and Society Encounter: The Book of the Duchess
3. Negative Nature and Social Culture: The Book of Fame
4. Nature Celebrated and Variegated: The Parlement of Foules
5. Nature, Conflict and Tragedy: Troilus and Criseyde
6. Nature, the Human, and the Unnatural World: the General Prologue to The
Canterbury Tales
7. Engagement with and Separation from Nature: The Canterbury Tales
7.1 Tales with Little or No Engagement with Nature
7.2 Tales which Deal Extensively with Nature
7.3 Tales which Deal with Nature in a Limited Way
Chapter 4 Nature in the Scottish Chaucerians
1.Introduction
2.Dunbar
2.1 Nature and Royalty
2.2Nature and Love
2.3Night and Darkness
2.4 Negative Nature
3.Henryson
3.1 The Moral Fabillis
3.2 Nature in Henryson’s Other Work
3.2.1 Embedded Nature
3.2.2 Dark Nature
3.2.3 Natural Context Openings
4 Conclusion
Chapter 5 Nature in Medieval English Romances
1.Introduction
2.Limited Treatment of Nature
3.From the Forest Onwards
4.Romances with the Natural World Recurring Throughout
5.Romances with Nature Involved in the Plot
6.Conclusion
Chapter 6 Nature and the English Outlaw Myth
1.Nature and the Outlaw Ballad
2.Lord Robin of the Forest
3.Robin Hood and the Romantic Natural Context
4.Nature and Outlaw Novels, Poetry and Drama
Chapter 7 Nature in Medieval English Lyrics
1.Introduction
2.Nature Itself
3.May-time and Love
4.Nature and the Spiritual World
5.Nature and a Negative Human Context
6.Nature Ironic and Vulgar
7.Conclusion