This book provides a boldly original account of Middle English literature from the Norman Conquest to the beginning of the sixteenth century. It argues that these centuries are, in fundamental ways, the momentous period in our literary history, for they are the long moment in which the category of literature itself emerged as English writing began to insist, for the first time, that it floated free of any social reality or function. This book also charts the complex mechanisms by which English writing acquired this power in a series of linked close readings of both canonical and more obscure texts. It encloses those readings in five compelling accounts of much broader cultural areas, describing, in particular, the productive relationship of Middle English writing to medieval technology, insurgency, statecraft and cultural place, concluding with an in depth account of the particular arguments, emphases and techniques English writers used to claim a wholly new jurisdiction for their work. Both this history and its readings are everywhere informed by the most exciting developments in recent Middle English scholarship as well as literary and cultural theory. It serves as an introduction to all these areas as well as a contribution, in its own right, to each of them.

This book provides a boldly original account of Middle Englishliterature from the Norman Conquest to the beginning of thesixteenth century. It argues that these centuries are, infundamental ways, the momentous period in our literary history, forthey are the long moment in which the category of literature itselfemerged as English writing began to insist, for the first timethat it floated free of any social reality or function.This book also charts the complex mechanisms by which Englishwriting acquired this power in a series of linked close readings ofboth canonical and more obscure texts. It encloses those readingsin five compelling accounts of much broader cultural areasdescribing, in particular, the productive relationship of MiddleEnglish writing to medieval technology, insurgency, statecraft andcultural place, concluding with an in depth account of theparticular arguments, emphases and techniques English writers usedto claim a wholly new jurisdiction for their work.Both this history and its readings are everywhere informed bythe most exciting developments in recent Middle English scholarshipas well as literary and cultural theory. It serves as anintroduction to all these areas as well as a contribution, in itsown right, to each of them.

Introduction.1. Technology.Romance.Confession.Printing.2. Insurgency.Complaint.Satire.The Rise of English.3. Statecraft.Censorship.Propaganda.Counsel.4. Place.The Schoolroom.Religious Communities.The Household.Cities and Towns.The Way or the Street.5. Jurisdiction.The Church.Laughter.The Aesthetic.Resources for Research.Chronology.Works Cited.