Classical Paradigms of Rape in the Middle Ages: Chaucer's Lucretia and Philomela

Author / Editor
Saunders, Corinne J.

Title
Classical Paradigms of Rape in the Middle Ages: Chaucer's Lucretia and Philomela

Published
Susan Deacy and Karen F. Pierce, eds. Rape in Antiquity (London: Duckworth, in association with The Classical Press of Wales, 1997), pp. 243-66

Description
Assesses medieval literary representations of rape in light of law, medicine, and theology. Reads Chaucer's account of Lucretia in LGW as a challenge to Augustine's admonitions against suicide, and the account of Philomela as proto-feminist. Compares Chaucer's versions with those of John Gower in Confesssio Amantis.

Contributor
Deacy, Susan, ed.
Pierce, Karen F., ed.

Alternative Title
Rape in Antiquity.

Chaucer Subjects
Legend of Good Women.
Sources, Analogues, and Literary Relations.