Browse Items (16472 total)

Assesses the latent anti-Semitism in Wordsworth's "Song for a Wandering Jew," his "A Jewish Family," and his translation of Chaucer's PrT. The translation and contemporary reviews of it reflect nineteenth-century understanding of Chaucer.

The influence of Lydgate's "Troy Book" on Metham's work is often cited by critics. However, in terms of scene and tone, Metham is more indebted to Chaucer's TC and "Legend of Thisbe" (LGW) than to Lydgate.

Contrasts MLT with "The King of Tars," "Bevis of Hampton," and the Becket legend (where Thomas Becket's mother is a "heathen or Saracen"), arguing that, unlike the "contradictory approaches . . . to the conversion of the Muslim Other elsewhere, MLT…

Expansive commentary on western art and literature, including the assertion (pp. 171-72) that Edmund Spenser established English literary tradition by "abandoning Chaucer and eradicating his influence," particularly his "populism."

The progress of the Wife in the battle of the sexes illustrates progressive development of selfhood. Older and wiser, she sees that sovereignty mishandled has negative results. WBT shows that a woman must make concessions to make a marriage…

The debate between Prudence and Melibee is the struggle for "maistrie" between husband and wife. Learned and sophisticated, Prudence exhibits "feminine powers of persuasion." She changes from being "humble and respectful" to being "impatient,"…

Examines "politeness strategies" (ye/thou) and emotional language in light of genre expectations and characterization. In MilT, MerT, and ShT, wives use various linguistic strategies to manipulate their husbands and others, but the linguistic…

In light of speech-act theory and the conventions of courtly literature, Dorigen's playful promise to Aurelius in FranT is not binding. Aurelius's own interpretation of the promise is willfully self-interested.

Pakkala-Weckstrm analyzes the power struggles within male/female couples, examining politeness strategies and providing brief analyses of speech size, topic, control, distribution of flow, and turn-taking. Considers MilT, MerT, ShT, WBT, FranT, Mel,…

Pakkala-Weckstrom applies linguistic "politeness theory" to the use of pronouns as "forms of address in male/female dialogue" in MilT, MerT, ShT, ClT, Mel, WBT, and FranT. Usage is similar in the romances and religious tales but differs in the…

Explores the relationships between power ("maistrie") and gender in CT as these relationships are reflected in conversation and the dialogue of spouses and lovers in seven Tales: MilT, WBT, ClT, MerT, FranT, ShT, and Mel. Using techniques of…

Pakkala-Weckström examines the speech act of promising and the special conditions needed to constitute a binding promise in Middle English, drawing examples from several of Chaucer's works: FranT, ClT, WBT, TC, FrT, and ShT. Certain formulaic words…

Pakkala-Weckström compares translations (three modern English and one modern Finnish) of passages from three fabliaux (MilT, MerT, and ShT), examining how well they preserve the politeness features of Chaucer's originals.

Defines pragmaphilology as a field of study, explains why Chaucer is an important focus for study in the field, surveys the pragmaphilological work that has been done concerning Chaucer, and makes suggestions for future directions. Much of the work…

The fact that Chauntecleer defies his dream and still escapes harm "raises serious questions about the validity of dream interpretation, leaving the reader with a sense that dreams mean whatever we want them to."

Asserting the impossibility of a neutral approach and citing her Jewish ancestry, Paley considers PrT in its historical context.

Item not seen. Worldcat record indicates this is a translation of CT into Croatian.

Evidence about medieval marital relationships appears in "auctoritee"--Church and civil records--and in "experience" reflected in literature. Legal and penitential documents depict an astounding range of sources of marital conflict, especially…

There is a tradition which views the knight's pursuit of love as an inversion of responsibility to God and to society. In CT, the Knight embodies spiritual and social duty whereas the Squire represents a subversion of proper knightly functions.

Discusses the dating of BD, correcting previous scholarship by adducing evidence from a letter by Louis de Mâle, count of Flanders, that helps to establish the death of Blanche of Lancaster as 12 September 1368. Comments on the identity of the…

Considered in the light of writings by thirteenth-century ophthalmologist Benvenutus Grassus, January's blindness in MerT is no sudden infirmity. With his admitted habit of "overindulgence" in women, food, and drink, January has been working on…

Investigates in TC Pandarus's attempts to cure Troilus's lovesickness, physically and psychologically. Pandarus's failure to effect a cure indicates that Chaucer rejects determinism and endorses free will, showing that Christian morals are…

Explores medieval attitudes toward the medical foundations of the emotions in MerT, TC, Gower's "Confessio Amantis," and Diego de San Pedro's "Cárcel de Amor."

Ten essays by various authors treat the impact and legacy of Guillaume de Machaut's works, especially "his judgment series" of poems, and the ways they influence writers from Chaucer and John Gower to Marcel Proust and Philip Roth. For four essays…

An edition of the fourteenth-century French text with English translation, introduction on Machaut and his influence on BD, and critical bibliography.