Spiritual seekers throughout history have sought illumination through solitary contemplation. In the Christian tradition, medieval England stands out for its remarkable array of hermits, recluses, and spiritual outsiders-from Cuthbert, Godric of Fichale, and Christina of Markyate to Richard Rolle, Julian of Norwich, and Margery Kempe. In The...

Wolfgang Riehle is Professor Emeritus of English at the Karl-Franzens-Universit¿Graz and a Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He is the author of many books, including The Middle English Mystics and Shakespeare, Plautus, and the Humanist Tradition.