Chivalry and the Wise Watchman: A Study of Patience, Penance, and the Homeward Journey in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" and "Troilus and Criseyde."

Published: In Craig M. Nakashian and Daniel P. Franke, eds. Prowess, Piety, and Public Order in Medieval Society: Studies in Honor of Richard W. Kaeuper (Boston, Mass.: Brill, 2017), pp. 344-67.

Description: Analyzes imagery of worthiness in TC and CT, compared with John Gower's "Mirour de l'omme," "Piers Plowman," and Geffroi de Charny's "Book of Chivalry." Focuses on patience, penance, pilgrimage, and the "timing for one's acts," exploring uses of Dante's "Paradiso" in TC, and analyzing Harry Bailly as time-keeper in CT (especially MLP), a role in which the Parson eventually replaces him (in ParsP), signaled by references to the biblically auspicious tenth hour. Rejects editorial emendation of "Ten" to "Foure" at ParsP 10.5.

Alternative Title: Prowess, Piety, and Public Order in Medieval Society: Studies in Honor of Richard W. Kaeuper.

Chaucer Subjects: Troilus and Criseyde
Canterbury Tales--General
Man of Law and His Tale
Parson and His Tale
Sources, Analogues, and Literary Relations
Manuscripts and Textual Studies