Longman Literature in English Series Series

Focusing on the seventeenth century's turmoil, the book delves into the creation of unique iconographies for each Stuart king and examines the cultural dynamics during the Civil War and Cromwellian Protectorate. It also analyzes the antiquarian movement's role in shaping national identity. Graham Parry offers an in-depth exploration of the societal forces influencing the literature of the time, providing a comprehensive understanding of this transformative era.

Starting with the European roots of romance, Dr Barron devotes the main body of his book to a detailed study of the English corpus. He discusses its rich variety of forms in the later Middle Ages, concluding that the English romances show their own conception of the romantic 'mode'.