The Matter of Courtesy: Medieval Courtesy Books and the Gawain-Poet

by Jonathan Nicholls

Examines the notion of courtesy as taught in a number of medieval texts then looks specifically at how it has been dealt with in the works of the Gawain-poet, attempting to elucidate aspects of the thematic and artistic design of the poems byreference to the world of the courtesy books. This study breaks valuable new ground and enlarges our knowledge of the social and cultural milieu of the poet.

251 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 1985

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's unfortunate that this book is out of print and essentially unavailable except through library loan. There is much to consider here in terms of the function and importance of courtesy in medieval English life and literature; it's a good introduction to how courtesy texts might be explored for their ability to shed light on courteyse in romances & etc. Well worth a read through.