Project Gutenberg 2007-01-20 Public domain in the USA. 278 Ker, W. P. (William Paton) 1855 1923 Ker, William Paton Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature E-text prepared by Ted Garvin, Linda Cantoni, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature" by W. P. Ker is a scholarly exploration of medieval narrative literature, written in the late 19th century. This collection of essays delves into the principal forms of narrative during the Middle Ages, particularly focusing on epic and romantic traditions, and examines significant works from this era. The text provides a critical lens to understand how these literary forms reflect the transition from an earlier heroic age to a later era characterized by chivalry and romantic ideals. The opening of the book introduces themes central to the study of medieval literature, as the author discusses the distinguishing features of epic and romance. Ker emphasizes the nature of epic poetry as grand, heroic, and comprehensive, often rooted in historical events and characters, while contrasting it with the more fantastical and courtly nature of romance narratives. He sets the stage for a deeper examination of specific works, highlighting the relevance of historical context and societal values in shaping these literary traditions. This introduction captures the essence of the ongoing dialogue between the heroic and the romantic, framing the evolution of storytelling in the medieval period. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 59.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Literature, Medieval -- History and criticism Romances -- History and criticism Epic poetry -- History and criticism PN Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: History - Medieval/Middle Ages 899505 2025-07-08T13:05:39.415156 text/html 900539 2007-01-20T12:54:57 text/html 409874 2025-07-08T13:05:58.041158 application/epub+zip 421671 2025-07-08T13:05:45.567117 application/epub+zip 402735 2025-07-08T13:05:42.905179 application/epub+zip 793612 2025-07-08T13:06:05.436085 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 706872 2025-07-08T13:05:54.981123 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 613091 2022-09-09T14:25:34.648872 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 757104 2025-07-08T13:05:37.459190 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 755908 2007-01-20T12:39:05 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19552 2025-07-08T13:06:05.577027 application/rdf+xml 18240 2025-07-08T13:05:43.543139 image/jpeg 3981 2025-07-08T13:05:43.251135 image/jpeg 279585 2007-01-20T12:39:05 application/octet-stream application/zip 303330 2007-01-20T12:55:25 application/octet-stream application/zip 381244 2025-07-08T13:05:39.477222 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia