is a fifteenth-century, anonymously-authored, allegorical poem in the French courtly-love debate tradition that goes back to
Le Roman de la Rose. The poem’s language, which locates it in the general London area, has been used to date the text to
c. 1460-80 (Pearsall, 1962, 19-20; Pearsall, 1990). Written in rhyme royal stanzas, the 595-line text is notable for its female narrator – rare in Middle English poetry – and that it was for almost three centuries thought to have been authored by Geoffrey Chaucer. The poem presents a literary twist on a French courtly game, whereby in Maytime knights and ladies would follow the order of the Flower if seeking out new love or the Leaf if remaining constant to a current beloved.
There is no extant manuscript witness to
2027 words
Citation: Greene, Darragh. "The Floure and the Leaf". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 May 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39350, accessed 21 November 2024.]
