middle ages in literature

Presents a reprint of the text of first American edition of Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", wherein a nineteenth-century mechanic suffers a blow to the head and wakes up in King Arthur's Britain. Includes original illustrations by Daniel Beard and contains critical reviews and essays.

Compares the events and characters in Shakespeare's nine historical plays with actual events in England during the period the dramas represent, and concludes that while the playwright was a reliable historian, he did not hesitate to take liberties with fact in order to enhance his fiction.

Norwich draws on his knowledge of both the Middle Ages and of Shakespeare's era to reveal why Shakespeare telescoped time, ignored certain facts, and embellished or created characters.

Analyzes the very real civilization that J.R.R. Tolkien based his land of Middle Earth on, describing the varied tribes who made up its population and how they lived their daily lives.