The people of the Middle Ages were no strangers to Cupid’s arrows, and just like us, they loved a good love letter. But in a world where literacy rates were far below what they are today, who was writing their most heartfelt feelings down? And how do we know? This week, Danièle speaks with Myra Stokes and Ad Putter about where we find love letters, and the way people wrote and sent them, along with a couple of spicy – and hilarious – examples.
Myra Stokes was formerly a senior lecturer in the Department of English at Bristol University. Ad Putter is Professor of Medieval English Literature, also at Bristol University. Together, they published Medieval Love Letters: A Critical Anthology with Cambridge University Press.
The people of the Middle Ages were no strangers to Cupid’s arrows, and just like us, they loved a good love letter. But in a world where literacy rates were far below what they are today, who was writing their most heartfelt feelings down? And how do we know? This week, Danièle speaks with Myra Stokes and Ad Putter about where we find love letters, and the way people wrote and sent them, along with a couple of spicy – and hilarious – examples.
Myra Stokes was formerly a senior lecturer in the Department of English at Bristol University. Ad Putter is Professor of Medieval English Literature, also at Bristol University. Together, they published Medieval Love Letters: A Critical Anthology with Cambridge University Press.
The creator and host of The Medieval Podcast is Danièle Cybulskie. Click here to visit her website or follow her on BlueSky @5minmedievalist.bsky.social
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