Medieval Literature the Travels of Sir John Mandeville sometimes sees echoes and reminders of Christian culture—and even English culture—within his travels abroad.
How does the text negotiate the relation between the “foreign” and the familiar? Is there something familiar about the foreign— and vice versa? Some Mandeville scholars believe he was connected with a Benedictine called Jean le Lonc, of Ypres, who wrote a collection of material on the Near and Far East (including travel narratives). To that collection it is certain Mandeville had access. This huge popularity demands attention. Literature reflects this dichotomy.
