Stephen Knight is retired Honorary Research Professor at the University of Melbourne, and formerly Distinguished Research Professor at Cardiff University.

• PrefaceIntroduction1. Towards Ecocriticism2. Medieval Ecocriticism3. Ecocritical Approaches in this StudyChapter 1 Nature and Medieval Welsh Literature1.Early Poetry2.Medieval Prose Stories: Culhwch ac Olwen3.Medieval Prose Stories: the Mabinogi4.The Human and Natural Poetic SublimeChapter 2 Nature in Mainstream Romances: Perceval de Galles (Le Conte du Graal), Peredur and Sir Perceval of Galles1.Introduction2.A Forest Dweller Turned Knight2.1Perceval de Galles2.2Peredur2.3Sir Perceval of Galles3.The Hero Ventures Alone in the World3.1Perceval de Galles3.2Peredur3.3Sir Perceval of Galles4The Hero Resolves His Errors4.1 Perceval de Galles4.2 Peredur4.3 Sir Perceval of Galles5. ConclusionChapter 3 Chaucer’s Use of Nature in Representation, Narrative and Analysis1. Introduction2. Nature and Society Encounter: The Book of the Duchess3. Negative Nature and Social Culture: The Book of Fame4. Nature Celebrated and Variegated: The Parlement of Foules5. Nature, Conflict and Tragedy: Troilus and Criseyde6. Nature, the Human, and the Unnatural World: the General Prologue to TheCanterbury Tales7. Engagement with and Separation from Nature: The Canterbury Tales7.1 Tales with Little or No Engagement with Nature7.2 Tales which Deal Extensively with Nature7.3 Tales which Deal with Nature in a Limited WayChapter 4 Nature in the Scottish Chaucerians1.Introduction2.Dunbar2.1 Nature and Royalty2.2Nature and Love2.3Night and Darkness2.4 Negative Nature3.Henryson3.1 The Moral Fabillis3.2 Nature in Henryson’s Other Work3.2.1 Embedded Nature3.2.2 Dark Nature3.2.3 Natural Context Openings4 ConclusionChapter 5 Nature in Medieval English Romances1.Introduction2.Limited Treatment of Nature3.From the Forest Onwards4.Romances with the Natural World Recurring Throughout5.Romances with Nature Involved in the Plot6.ConclusionChapter 6 Nature and the English Outlaw Myth1.Nature and the Outlaw Ballad2.Lord Robin of the Forest3.Robin Hood and the Romantic Natural Context4.Nature and Outlaw Novels, Poetry and DramaChapter 7 Nature in Medieval English Lyrics1.Introduction2.Nature Itself3.May-time and Love4.Nature and the Spiritual World5.Nature and a Negative Human Context6.Nature Ironic and Vulgar7.Conclusion

Ranging from early Welsh to his own speciality in Robin Hood material, and from humans who turn into animals to single lines of praise for a spring morning or a complexion like a rose, Stephen Knight’s book presents a rich and generous survey of the ways in which the Middle Ages engaged with the natural (or indeed the supernatural) world.