A History of Anglo-Latin Literature, 1066–1422

by A.G. Rigg

A comprehensive history of medieval Anglo-Latin writings (which represent an astonishing nine tenths of English literary culture in the period). The past century since the last major work on this subject has seen the discovery and editing of many important texts. A. G. Rigg's new authoritative reference work underlines how the view of England's literary history in the Middle Ages as a decline from Anglo-Saxon culture (recuperated only in the fourteenth century in the work of writers such as Chaucer) ignores the flourishing tradition of Latin literature written between England's enforced entry into the European mainstream and the rise of the vernacular and of humanism. It reveals a very rich corpus of writings, comprising epic, lyric, comedy, satire, prose anecdotes, romance, saints' lives and devotional texts. This chronological history gives quotations in the original Latin with English translations in verse or prose; Anglo-Latin metres are explained and exemplified in an appendix.

436 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Arthur George Rigg, British medievalist and translator.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting.

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry, scholarly, assuming rather a lot of knowledge on the part of its readership, but an excellent survey of its topic, as far as I can tell. It managed to bore me quite a bit, but I'll still rate it at 3 rather than 2 because the bits I found fascinating were (to me, at least) completely and utterly so.