The Use of Simile in Dante's 'Divine Comedy' and Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'

Author / Editor
Heffernan, Carol Falvo.

Title
The Use of Simile in Dante's 'Divine Comedy' and Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'

Published
Canadian Journal of Italian Studies 3 (1980): 72-80.

Description
John Speir's claim that both poets use similes to promote "distinct visualization" in the service of allegory and realism is borne out by "The Divine Comedy" but not CT. Dante's similes produce visual accent, serving as ancillary devices within a highly controlled allegorical system, but the simile for Chaucer is a crucial structural device, helping to illustrate character, shape theme, and create irony.

Chaucer Subjects
Canterbury Tales--General.
Style and Versification.