This is the time that these Middle English romances have been made widely available in one volume. All feature the knight Gawain and deal with the theme of chivalrous conduct. Varying in length, tone and emphasis, together they provide a fascinating cross-section of the genre.

One of the earliest great stories of English literature after ?Beowulf?, ?Sir Gawain? is the strange tale of a green knight on a green horse, who rudely interrupts King Arthur's Round Table festivities one Yuletide, challenging the knights to a wager. Simon Armitrage, one of Britain's leading poets, has produced an inventive and groundbreaking translation that " helps] liberate ?Gawain ?from academia" (?Sunday Telegraph?).

This volume contains the only known English version of Chretien de Troyes's romance of the naive knight Perceval, Sir Perceval of Galles. The work uses Perceval's ridiculous behavior as a late medieval satire of courtliness. Accompanying this tale is Ywain and Gawain, a translation of a second Chretien poem, Le Chevalier au Lion. Unlike Sir Perceval, this poem extols the virtues of chivalry and honor. These complementary works form an excellent introduction to Middle English Arthurian romance, as they include editing, glosses, introductions, and a very helpful glossary for beginning students.

Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.

Barnes contends that `rule by counsel' is central to the ethos of Middle English romance.

Filled with romantic tales of Lancelot and early Grail legends, this exacting translation of de Troyes' verse narratives written in the 12th century features four romances that expound on the ideals of French chivalry.