John Lydgate, ‘the monk of Bury’, a follower and rival of the great Geoffrey Chaucer, is almost unknown today but was the outstanding poet of his generation. His output was immense and included historical epics, satirical and political poems, religious...
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John Lydgate, ‘the monk of Bury’, a follower and rival of the great Geoffrey Chaucer, is almost unknown today but was the outstanding poet of his generation. His output was immense and included historical epics, satirical and political poems, religious lyrics and prayers. Lydgate used his poetry not merely to entertain but to comment on the moral, spiritual and political issues of the time, often challenging the prevailing attitudes of the nobility in whom he found his patrons.
Now this important work is made available to the contemporary reader in a complete modern English verse rendition which effectively captures the spirit of the original. This edition comes with an introduction setting the poem in its historical and literary context, explanatory notes and an appendix containing a classical account of the ‘Matter of Troy’.
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