Photo of Thomas, Alfred

Alfred Thomas, PhD

Professor

English

Contact

Building & Room:

2009 UH

Address:

601 S Morgan St.

Office Phone:

(312) 413-2246

About

My research focuses on the connections between England and Europe in the late-medieval and early modern periods. In particular I have published extensively on the cultural and political links between Ricardian England and Luxembourg Bohemia and the pivotal role of Anne of Bohemia, queen consort of King Richard II ( r. 1377-99) in the development of Geoffrey Chaucer and the Gawain Poet as cosmopolitan writers.
Another area of interest is the reception of Shakespeare in Central and Eastern  Europe, especially during the Cold War.
These research interests are reflected in my comparative approach to teaching. In Spring 2025  I shall teach two courses: the Introduction to Shakespeare seen through the lens of anglophone and non-anglophone cinema from the US, Britain, Russia and Japan; and Violence and Masculinity in Medieval Arthurian Literature-- a comparative course based on my new book project "Murderous Mirror: Violence, Masculinity, and Medieval Courtly Love."

Research Areas

Comparative Literature | Early Modern/Renaissance British Literature | Gender and Sexuality Studies | Medieval British and European Literature

Selected Publications