The Medieval Worlds of Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is one of the most widely known writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, having produced fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and horror, television, comics, and prose. He often attributes this eclecticism to his compost heap approach to writing, gathering inspiration from life, religion, literature, and mythology. Readers love to sink into Gaimans medieval worldsbut what makes them medieval? Shiloh Carroll offers an introduction to the idea of medievalism, how the literature and culture of the Middle Ages have been reinterpreted and repurposed over the centuries, and how the layers of interpretation have impacted Gaimans own use of medieval material. She examines influences from Norse mythology and Beowulf to medieval romances and fairy tales in order to expand readers understanding and appreciation of Gaimans work, as well as the rest of the medievalist films, TV shows, and books that are so popular today.