middle english, 1100-1500

Presents translations of three medieval English poems, including the Arthurian Romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"; "Pearl, " an elegy on the death of a young child; and "Sir Orfeo, " the story of a king who goes into exile after his wife is stolen by magic.

Draws on historical evidence and the only known manuscript copy of Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte Darthur" to chronicle the life of Malory, focusing on the contradictions between his life as a criminal and his literary achievement.

A biography of the medieval English author who wrote "The Canterbury Tales, " "Troilus and Criseyde, " "The Legend of Good Women, " and other works.

Traces the history of the English language, focusing on the factors that have led to the many differences between spoken and written English around the world and placing the evolution of grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary in the context of the larger history of English, America, and literature.