Gale Sigal

Gale Sigal is a Professor of English and Medieval Studies at Wake Forest University, where she has served since 1987. She has held leadership roles as Chair of the English Department, Director of Graduate Studies, and co-founder/co-director of the Medieval Studies Minor and Interdisciplinary MA Certificate Program. Her teaching focuses on the European High Middle Ages, including courses on King Arthur, Chaucer, medieval poetry, and the roots of song. She is Managing Editor of The Once and Future Classroom, a peer-reviewed journal for Medieval Studies educators.

Her research interests bridge Middle English, Old French, medieval Italian literature, and the British Victorian era. Notable works include her monograph Erotic Dawn-songs of the Middle Ages: Voicing the Lyric Lady and edited volumes such as Boccaccio Veneto: 700 Years of Cultural Crossing in the Mediterranean. Her scholarship explores themes of medieval lyric poetry, cultural transfer, and the intersection of medieval and Victorian studies.

Sigal’s recent publications emphasize pedagogical innovation, medievalism in global contexts, and interdisciplinary approaches to literature. Her articles often analyze how medieval texts inform contemporary educational practices and cultural narratives. She has collaborated on projects like the Collected Letters of William Morris and contributed to discussions on William Morris’s transnational medievalism.

A dedicated educator, Sigal has shaped medieval studies curricula and fostered collaborative research through her editorial work and institutional leadership. Her academic service includes co-directing programs that integrate medieval studies across disciplines, reflecting her commitment to accessibility and interdisciplinary dialogue.