Topics in Chaucer
Nida Surber profile
MWF 10
In this seminar we shall be reading works of Chaucer apart from the -Canterbury Tales- namely the -Book of the Duchess-, the -Parliament of Fowls-, the -Legend of Good Women- and some chosen passages from -Troilus and Criseyde-.We shall add to that, if time remains, some of his short poems. This will allow us to realize Chaucer's powerful experimentation of different genres. The question of the individual balance within the literary definition of a couple in marriage, or, indeed, of an individual's inscription within a group or society, will be our focus. The issues of identity, gender, religion, social politics and sexual politics will play an important role in our analysis. This will, in turn, will provide material for challenging interpretations of the Chaucerian body of texts that we will be considering.
updated 2006-07-27
