The Boundaries of the Human in Medieval English Literature

Download or read book The Boundaries of the Human in Medieval English Literature written by Dorothy Yamamoto and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2000 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study analyzes the fear of beastly transformation that recurs throughout Medieval literature. Yamamoto explores how humans envisioned animals with human characteristics in bestiaries and literatures that involve aspects of the hunt and heraldry. Minor texts, as well as major works likeChaucer's "Knight's Tale," are investigated. Additionally, she explores both examples of humans changing into animal form and those that hover enigmatically between species as wild men and women. Investigating this topic, she looks to Alexander romances, the poetry of Gower, and othersources.