Whoso thorgh presumpcion . . . mysdeme hyt : Chaucer's Poetic Adaptation of the Medieval 'Book Curse'

Author / Editor
Arnovick, Leslie K.

Title
Whoso thorgh presumpcion . . . mysdeme hyt : Chaucer's Poetic Adaptation of the Medieval 'Book Curse'

Published
Irma Taavitsainen, Terttu Nevalainen, Pivi Pahta, and Matti Rissanen, eds. Placing Middle English in Context (Berlin and New York: Gruyter, 2000), pp. 411-25.

Description
Argues that lines 81-120 of HF are Chaucer's adaptation of the topos of the "book curse," tracing the "speech act origin" of the curse and exploring Chaucer's use of the device to "tease his audience and manipulate its expectations."

Alternative Title
Placing Middle English in Context.

Chaucer Subjects
House of Fame.