Glossary of Poetic Terms

Middle English poetry is used to describe poetry written in Middle English, a form of the English language used between the late eleventh and late fifteenth centuries. Well-known examples of Middle English poetry include “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” a late fourteenth-century chivalric romance by an unknown author; the allegorical narrative poem “Piers Plowman”by William Langland; and works by Geoffrey Chaucer, John Gower, and John Lydgate. While the characteristics of Middle English and its poetry changed throughout the course of the centuries, Middle English poetry is primarily known for its alliterative verse; vernacular and regional nature; and formal influences from French, Latin, and other sources. Due to the influence of French and Latin literary traditions, romance is a major subject and theme of Middle English poetry, alongside religious and courtly themes. For more on Middle English poetry, consult Britannica and other sources.