Conspicuous by Its Absence: The English 'Fabliau'

Author / Editor
Busby, Keith.

Title
Conspicuous by Its Absence: The English 'Fabliau'

Published
Dutch Quarterly Review 12 (1982): 30-41.

Description
Offers a "partial explanation" for the paucity of fabliaux in Middle English: lack of concern with courtly sentiment in Middle English romance fails to "provide conditions conducive" to "parody and ironization of romance" that is fundamental to the fabliau genre. Comments on romance elements in each of Chaucer's fabliaux, particularly the juxtaposition of MilT with KnT and the parody of romance conventions in MerT.

Chaucer Subjects
Miller and His Tale
Merchant and His Tale
Knight and His Tale