This book presents a full account of Chaucer's achievements and explores in what ways Chaucer is at the same time typical and atypical of his age.

Dieter Mehl is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Bonn. His previous publications include Shakespeare's Tragedies: An Introduction (1986) and Geoffrey Chaucer: An Introduction to his Narrative Poetry (1986).

Editors' Preface
Longman Literature in English Series
Author's Preface

List o f Abbreviations
1 Introduction: The Age of Chaucer

2 Geoffrey Chaucer

3 John Gower

4 William Langland

5 The Gawain-Poet

6 John Lydgate and Thomas Hoccleve

7 The Middle English Lyric

8 Middle Scots Poetry

9 Middle English Prose

Conclusion
Chronology
Bibliography
Index