R. K. Gordon (1887–1973)

A very convenient compendium of Benoit de Sainte-Maure, Boccaccio, Chaucer, and Henryson. The glossing of Chaucer and Henryson is inconveniently in the rear of the book rather than marginal or bottom-of-the-page, but some teachers using the book for academic reading may prefer that students "guess" at the vocabulary from context. Henryson's Middle Scots (a lowlands dialect of English, in contrast with the Gaelic of the highlands) is, incidentally, really no more difficult reading than show more Shakespeare's Early Modern English.

Another reviewer considers these works to be useful comparisons with Chaucer. Personally, I consider Henryson's Testament a particularly valuable work in its own right (and so must have Seamus Heaney, who translated The Testament of Cresseid and Seven Fables). Henryson is particularly intriguing for his use of astrological imagery, and his portrayal of Cresseid as a whore is an interesting transition from Chaucer to Shakespeare. show less

An anthology assembled for teaching by R. K. Gordon. The tale is present in 3 versions, and a poem by a scots poet, Robert Henryson is included as an example of using such a story for a sermon in verse. The Earliest version is by Benoit de Sainte-Maure run up about 1160, and the other versions are an Italian version by Boccaccio and the longest is a Middle English poem by Chaucer in the 1380's.

Necessary reading for any serious student of Eng.Lit., ~ includes 'Beowulf', which I personally don't like but, together with the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle', Old & Middle English constitute the beginnings of our national literature.

A standard collection of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Includes a short but clear introduction, as well as brief introductions for each selection. Selections include a number of biblical stories, Beowulf, riddles and Proverbs, and concludes with the Battle of Malden.