Amadis in English: A Study in the Reading of Romance

Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote (1605) is justly famous as the first European novel. Lesser known, however, are the Spanish books of chivalry that inspired Quixote’s heroic delusions; the first and best of these is Amadis de Gaule. Amadis was read enthusiastically in France, England, and Scotland, both in translation and via Don Quixote, a process this book identifies and discusses as ‘removed’ reading. Based on detailed historical and literary research, this book uncovers the hidden history of Amadis’ popularity amongst readers of all backgrounds, and its hitherto unrecognised influence on fiction, poetry, and drama in English across five centuries.