Allegory and Mirror: Tradition and Structure in Middle English Literature

Description: Defines the medieval literary modes/genres of personification allegory and mirror, using them to analyze various works of Middle English literature and their models in Latin, French, and Italian. Treats HF as a personification allegory; aspects of BD, TC, and MerT as descendants of the "Roman de la Rose" as love allegory; aspects of TC and Mel as allegories of reason; ParsT as a confessional manual; and CT as a mirror of late-medieval society. Also discusses Middle English works by John Gower, William Langland, and the Pearl-poet.

Chaucer Subjects: Sources, Analogues, and Literary Relations; Book of the Duchess; House of Fame; Troilus and Criseyde; Canterbury Tales--General; Merchant and His Tale; Tale of Melibee; Parson and His Tale