Chaucer's "Legal Fiction" : Reading the Records
- Author / Editor
- Braswell, Mary Flowers.
Chaucer's "Legal Fiction" : Reading the Records
- Published
- Teaneck, N.J. :
- London : Fairleigh Dickinson University Press ;
- Associated University Presses, 2001.
- Physical Description
- 170 pp.
- Description
- In addition to overt allusions to law and its practitioners and his depictions of legal proceedings, Chaucer weaves legal terminology into his texts and uses "embedded" references to real court cases in developing his plots and characters. Advocates and accusers in medieval courts often used creative narration to argue their cases, just as Chaucer does. As well, Chaucer uses "interrogative" rather than "declarative" style so that his audience, like courtroom participants, is expected to analyze the evidence and reach conclusions that are purposely withheld. Braswell discusses numerous courtroom cases, HF, FranT, RvT, ShT, PardP, CkPT, CYT, MilT, and FrT.
- Chaucer Subjects
- Background and General Criticism.
- Franklin and His Tale.
- Reeve and His Tale.
- Shipman and His Tale.
- Pardoner and His Tale.
- Cook and His Tale.
- Miller and His Tale.
- Canon's Yeoman and His Tale.
- Miller and His Tale.
- Friar and His Tale.
- House of Fame.
- Canterbury Tales--General.