A study of the four major poets who flourished during the last 30 years of the 14th century (Chaucer, Gower, Langland and the Gawain poet). The term Richardian refers roughly to the reign of Richard II. The author isolates some of the common Richardian characteristics in the work of these four writers and discusses the peculiar constitution of poetic style in a period when English poets had no developed literary tradition behind them. He also emphasises and explores their narrative. The author also wrote The Ages of Man, A Book of Middle English and Geoffrey Chaucer: A Critical Anthology. He also edited Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.