Chaucer and Medieval Estates Satire: The Literature of Social Classes and the 'General Prologue' to the 'Canterbury Tales'

Description: Establishes that GP is an example of the medieval literary genre of estates satire, i.e., a "satiric representation of all classes of society," based on occupation. Surveys the tradition of the genre, including works that only draw on "estates material," identifying sources and analogues for the details and attitudes that underlie each of the descriptions in GP, and showing that the form of GP is the estates satire, although it represents the third principal estate (laborers) with "unusual richness." Demonstrates Chaucer's adaptations of estates materials and (in appendix B) argues that Chaucer was influenced by Gower (especially "Mirour de l'Omme") and Langland as well as by the larger Latin and French tradition. Discusses each of the GP descriptions, arranged in several topical categories of technique and subject matter.

Chaucer Subjects: General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales; Canterbury Tales--General; Sources, Analogues, and Literary Relations