Fatherhood and its Representations in Middle English Texts

The figure and role of the late-medieval father is reappraised through a close reading of a range of documents from the period, including both letters and romances. Late medieval English society placed great weight on the practices of primogeniture, patrilineal descent, and patriarchal government, and the significance of the father had cultural resonance beyond the rule of law. Yet despite aburgeoning interest in both the family and gender, "the father" has to date received little attention from