The Apocalyptic Imagination in Medieval Literature

Author / Editor
Emmerson, Richard K., and Ronald B. Herzman.

Title
The Apocalyptic Imagination in Medieval Literature

Published
Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.

Physical Description
xi, 244 pp.

Description
Examining Joachim of Fiore, Bonaventure's Legenda Maior, Roman de la rose, Dante's Commedia, and CT, Emmerson and Herzman argue that, in eschatological perspective, CT exemplifies typical medieval apocalyptic thought. The general structure, pilgrimage/penance motifs, concerns with simony, specific allusions to Simon Magus and the Antichrist, and inversions with figures and patterns of realistic detail or comic relief combine to move CT from the particular to universal eschatology.
Discusses FrT, KnT, MilT, PardT, ParsPT, Ret, RvT, ShT, SumT, and Truth.

Contributor
Herzman, Ronald B.

Chaucer Subjects
Canterbury Tales--General.