Outline of the Literature of the Middle Ages
By Roger Blackwell Bailey, Ph. D.
The outline of Medieval English literature will supplement this one. For the most part, English works do not appear here although room in the world survey should be found for Beowulf and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Click Here for medieval references, online and off.
Medieval Epic, Saga, and Cycle
Apollonius, King of Tyre. Of probable Greek ( 2d. Cent.A.D. ) origin. Earliest surviving copy in Latin from 5th or 6th Century. Enormously popular work, though no epic. Early given a Christian twist.
The Tain ( 8th c.). Irish epic. Translated by Thomas Tansella (Oxford, 1969).
The Song of Roland. ( 10th-11th Cent. )
The Mabinogion ( 1000-1250 ).
The Icelandic Eddas and Sagas.
Poem of the Cid (c. 1140 ) The Lay of the Cid
The Song of the Nibelungs. ( c. 1205 )
Medieval Lyric Poetry
Latin Poetry of the Middle Ages
Troubadours and Minnesänger
Guido Cavalcanti ( 1255-1300 )
Juan Ruiz ( fl. 1343 ), Libro de Buen Amor.
François Villon ( 1431-c.1463 )
Medieval Romance, Chivalry and Courtly Love.
The Arthurian Cycle
Chrétien de Troyes (? 1140-? 1200 ).
Andreas Capellanus ( 12th Cent. ), The Art of Courtly Love.
Marie de France ( Late 12th Cent. ), Lais.
" Aucassin and Nicolette " ( Early 13th Cent. ).
Gottfried von Strassburg ( fl. 1210 ), Tristan.
Wolfram von Eschenbach ( 1170-1220 ), Parsifal.
Guillaume de Lorris ( d. 1235 ) and Jean de Meun ( c. 1240-1305 ), The Romance of the Rose.
Medieval Drama
History, Memoirs, Biography
Gregory of Tours ( c. 539-594 ), The History of the Franks.
Einhard ( c. 770-840 ), Life of Charlemagne.
Geoffroy de Villehardouin ( c. 1148-? 1218 ), The Conquest of Constantinople. On the Fourth Crusade.
Jean de Joinville ( 1225-1317 ), The Life of St. Louis. St. Louis' first crusade.
Jacobus de Voragine ( c. 1230-1298 ), The Golden Legend. Lives of saints. See translation by William Granger Ryan.2 Volumes. Princeton, 1993.
Marco Polo ( 1254-1324 ), Travels.
Jean Froissart ( 1337-after 1404 ), Chronicles
Philosophy and Theology
St. Benedict ( c.480-543 )The Rule of St. Benedict ( 6th Cent. ). Catholic Encyclopedia entry
St. Isidore of Seville ( c. 560-636 ), Etymologies. Catholic Encyclopedia entry
St. Anselm ( 1033-1109 ), Proslogium. The ontological argument for God's existence. Catholic Encyclopedia entry
Abelard ( 1079-1142 ), History of My Calamities. Catholic Encyclopedia entry
Bernard of Clairvaux ( 1090-1153 ), The Love of God. Catholic Encyclopedia entry
Peter Lombard ( 1095-1160 ), Four Books of Sentences. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry.
St. Albertus Magnus ( c.1206-1280 ). Catholic Encyclopedia entry
St. Bonaventura ( 1221-1274 ), The Mind's Road to God.Catholic Encyclopedia entry.
St. Thomas Aquinas ( 1225-1274 ) Catholic Encyclopedia entry. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry
Meister Eckhart ( c. 1260-1329 ), The Talks of Instruction.
Duns Scotus ( 1265-1308 ), Treatise on God as First Principle. Catholic Encyclopedia entry
William of Ockham ( 1285-1349 ): Famous for his " razor " principle of economy.
Thomas à Kempis ( 1380-1471 ), The Imitation of Christ.
Nicholas of Cusa ( 1401-1464 ), The Vision of God.
Tales and Anecdotes
The Gesta Romanorum. ( 14th Cent. ).
Manuel, Juan ( 1282-1348 ). Count Lucanor.
Dante Alighieri ( 1265-1321 ).
Francesco Petrarch ( 1304-1374 ).
Giovanni Boccaccio ( 1313-1375 ).
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Last Updated 10/29/09
