Inspired by the example of Chaucer and Gower, John Lydgate articulated the great political questions of his time in his poetry, prose and translations. Lois Ebin showed the relationship of Lydgate's work to Chaucer, and his central role in the developing literary culture of the fifteenth century. Re-interpreting the work of Lydgate in the context of his role in the English literary tradition and literary culture of the late medieval period, Ebin examines the development, shape and nature of the emerging English public culture of the fifteenth century.The Benedictine monk John Lydgate was the most admired poet of the fifteenth century. He received commissions from some of the most powerful men in the land (including Henry V); he is spoken of with constant admiration; manuscripts of his work are abundant; many of his poems were put into print by England's earliest printers, ensuring that his influence extended well into the sixteenth century. The Fall of Princes, probably the longest poem in the language, is arguably Lydgate's masterwork; yet, until now, it has received only cursory critical attention. This book offers the first extended discussion of the poem." "This book locates Lydgate's work within its contexts, exploring the nature of his relationship with the uneasy Lancastrian dynasty during the minority of Henry VI as well as his response to contemporary conflicts between ecclesiastical and secular authority. In particular, this book closely analyses Lydgate's manipulations of his French source text, allowing readers to see in detail for the first time what it is that Lydgate was setting out to achieve. Finally, the book identifies the readership of Lydgate's poem in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, discussing its influence on the evolution of narrative tragedy in English.