Notes on the 'Parson's Tale'

Description: Detailed lexical and literary comments, based on passages of identical or very similar wording in medieval religious writings, on the following passages in ParsT: 79-81 (the "way" of penance), 113-16 (the tree of penance), 157 ("groyn"), 319 ("condiciouns"), 350-54 (the progression of sin), 351-53 (the devil's bellows, "flambe of delit"), 411 ("leefseel"), 529-32 (concluding passage on Envy), 614 ("Salomon"), 1038 ("disciplyne"), 1040 ("privyleged"). Also discusses the genre of ParsT.; The purpose of these comments is to elucidate the literal meaning of Chaucer's text and to exonerate Chaucer of having blundered in at least three instances.