Top 50 Masterpieces of Medieval Literature
This list explores the greatest literary works from the medieval period, spanning continents and covering a wide range of genres. Whether you’re interested in legendary heroics, philosophical insights, or allegorical tales of love and morality, this guide offers a comprehensive look at the most important works from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Each entry includes a brief summary of the work, its significance to the field of medieval literature, and how you can read this in English translation.
- 1
The Divine Comedy
Dante Alighieri · 1321 · 25 lists
- 2
- 3
The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer · 1478 · 7 lists
- 4
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Luo Guanzhong · 1644 · 3 lists
- 5
- 6
Maqamat Al Hariri
Al-Hariri of Basra · 1873 · 1 list
- 7
Le Morte dArthur
Thomas Malory · 1557 · 3 lists
- 8
The Song of Roland
Unknown · 2 lists
- 9
Panchatantra
Unknown · 2022 · 1 list
- 10
Decameron
Giovanni Boccaccio · 1516 · 10 lists
- 11
The Consolation of Philosophy
Boethius · 1999 · 1 list
- 12
The Tale of Genji
Murasaki Shikibu · 2000 · 10 lists
- 13
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Simon Armitage · 2008 · 2 lists
- 14
The Poetic Edda
Unknown · 2004 · 1 list
- 15
The Nibelungenlied
Unknown · 1962 · 4 lists
- 16
Roman De La Rose
Guillaume de Lorris, Jean de Meun · 1493 · 1 list
- 17
Lais Of Marie De France
Marie de France · 1999 · 1 list
- 18
The Book of the City of Ladies
Christine de Pizan · 1992 · 1 list
- 19
Poem of the Cid
Unknown · 1975 · 2 lists
- 20
Reynard the Fox
Unknown · 2018 · 2 lists
- 21
The Book Of Dede Korkut
Unknown · 1 list
- 22
Njal's Saga
Iceland · 1 list
- 23
Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en · 1980 · 3 lists
- 24
- 25
Tales from the Kathasaritsagara
Somadeva · 1997 · 1 list
- 26
Digenes Akritas
Unknown · 1 list
- 27
Khosrow And Shirin
Nezami Ganjavi · 2025 · 1 list
- 28
Troilus and Criseyde
Geoffrey Chaucer · 1380 · 1 list
- 29
Piers The Ploughman
William Langland · 1842 · 1 list
- 30
The Tain
Thomas Kinsella · 1970 · 1 list
- 31
Barlaam And Josaphat
Gui De Cambrai · 2014 · 1 list
- 32
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
Unknown · 1 list
- 33
Kādambarī
Bānabhaṭṭa · 1961 · 1 list
- 34
The Biography Of Ying Ying
Yuan Zhen · 1 list
- 35
Scivias
Hildegard of Bingen · 1628 · 1 list
- 36
Tristan
Gottfried von Strassburg · 1823 · 3 lists
- 37
Dulcitius
Hrotsvitha · 1916 · 1 list
- 38
Revelations of Divine Love
Julian of Norwich · 1901 · 1 list
- 39
The Improvement of Human Reason
Ibn Tufayl · 1708 · 1 list
- 40
Le Jouvencel
Jean V de Bueil · 1500 · 1 list
- 41
The Romance Of 'Antar
Unknown · 1 list
- 42
The Mabinogion
Unknown · 1 list
- 43
Kallimachos And Chrysorrhoe
Unknown · 1 list
- 44
The Tales Of Sendebar
Unknown · 1 list
- 45
The Water Margin
Shi Naian · 1998 · 2 lists
- 46
Libro de buen amor
Juan Ruiz · 1900 · 1 list
- 47
Epic Of Sundiata
Unknown · 1 list
- 48
Yvain
Chrétien de Troyes · 1942 · 1 list
- 49
Huon De Bordeaux
Unknown · 1 list
- 50
Daredevils Of Sassoun
Unknown · 1 list