Laughter and Awkwardness in Late Medieval England: Social Discomfort in the Literature of the Middle Ages

'We live,' according to Adam Kotsko, 'in an awkward age.' While this condition may present some challenges, it may also help us to be more attuned to awkwardness in other ages. This book pairs medieval texts with twenty-first century films or television programmes to explore what the resonance between them can tell us about living together in an awkward age.

In this nuanced and engaging study, David Watt focuses especially, but not exclusively, on the 15th century, which seems to intervene ...