Instead of summarising existing knowledge after the fashion of the now-ubiquitous literary 'companions', these essays aim at opening fresh discussion; instead of emphasising settled consensus they direct their readers to areas of enlivened and unresolved debate. Although 'major authors' such as Chaucer and Langland are richly represented, many little-known and neglected texts are considered as well. Analysis is devoted not only to self-sufficient works, but to the general conditions of textual production and reception.