International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI 

Special Session: Medieval Sidekicks

Sponsored by the Texas Medieval Association (TEMA)

Organizer: Melissa Filbeck

This session will explore the roles and importance of literary, legendary, or historical figures who are defined chiefly by their relationship to other, more major figures: Little John to Robin Hood; Wiglaf to Beowulf; Unferth to Hrothgar; Bors to Lancelot; Peter (or Judas or Mary Magdalene) to Jesus; the Canon’s Yeoman to Chaucer's canon-alchemist; Becel to Guthlac; Broken-Backed Richard to Margery Kempe; etc.  Papers may consider how the “sidekick” relationship in any of its variations helps to define narrative structure, ideological messages, and other aspects of such accounts.

Please send abstracts of 200 - 300 words to Melissa Filbeck at mfilbeck@tamu.edu. Submissions should be accompanied by a completed participant information form (found at http://www.wmich.edu/medievalcongress/submissions).