Barry Windeatt Kolejność książek (chronologicznie)

Considered one of Chaucer’s finest poems, second only to The Canterbury Tales, this tragic love story unfolds against the backdrop of the Trojan War. Written in the 1380s, it follows Troilus, son of Priam and brother of Hector, who falls deeply in love with the beautiful Cressida. Cressida, daughter of Calchas, a Trojan priest who has defected to the Greeks, is left behind in the besieged city. With the help of Pander, Troilus’s friend and Cressida’s uncle, the two lovers meet, leading to a poignant romance with dire consequences. The poem is structured in seven-line rhymed stanzas and is presented in a lively modern verse translation by George Philip Krapp, who preserves its original spirit and structure. Emotions run high, and the love story unfolds with dramatic urgency, drawing readers in. Yet, true to Chaucer’s style, moments of humor and lightness emerge, reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales. Though often overshadowed by his more famous works and even adaptations by Shakespeare, this poem stands as a significant monument in English literature. Once experienced, it leaves a lasting impression.

The story of the eventful and controversial life of Margery Kempe - wife, mother, businesswoman, pilgrim and visionary - is the earliest surviving autobiography in English. Here Kempe (c.1373-c.1440) recounts in vivid, unembarrassed detail the madness that followed the birth of the first of her fourteen children, the failure of her brewery business, her dramatic call to the spiritual life, her visions and uncontrollable tears, the struggle to convert her husband to a vow of chastity and her pilgrimages to Europe and the Holy Land. Margery Kempe could not read or write, and dictated her remarkable story late in life. It remains an extraordinary record of human faith and a portrait of a medieval woman of unforgettable character and courage.