Chaucer and the Social Contest

Description: Influenced by modern critical approaches such as new historicism and cultural studies, Knapp reworks some material published earlier and adds new essays in a volume designed to examine the pilgrims' social contest and the "larger social contest" implied in CT, which reflects major changes in the "estates," religion and philosophy, and the position of women in Chaucer's England.; Knapp contrasts ideology to "experienced lives." Part 1, "The Estates," studies knighthood, nobility, patriarchy, the sources and genre of KnT, and ideology and wit in MilT--showing how "authorized social discourse is presented by the Knight, speaking for those who fight and rule, and attacked by the Miller, speaking for those who work."; With the Monk, Prioress, Summoner, Friar, and their tales, Knapp also considers "the highest echelons of the clergy," who speak an aristocratic language and live in tune with courtly values and pursuits," as opposed to those lower in the ecclesiastical hierarchy.; Part 2, "The Wycliffite Controversy," argues that CT "includes a pervasive adaptation (sometimes ironic)" of Wycliffite ideology, especially in PardT, NPT, and ParsT. Part 3, "Women," considers women in MLT, FranT, MerT, SNT, WBP, WBT, and ClT.