ENGL 325-01, Chaucer, Fall 2015

Abstract

Welcome to the class! Geoffrey Chaucer’s prolific body of work offers a fascinating and rewarding introduction to the range of genres and traditions in the medieval world. Through close and careful reading of Chaucer’s many and varied writings—all in the original Middle English—we will work to develop proficiency in and appreciation of the language written and spoken in fourteenth-century London. Unit One will be devoted to study of selected Canterbury Tales; in Unit Two, we will read the long narrative romance, Troilus and Criseyde, in its entirety; and Unit Three will treat representative works from Chaucer’s dream visions and short poetry. Throughout each of these units, we will examine the creative ways in which Chaucer combined tradition and innovation within his poetic compositions and explore Chaucer’s engagement with such issues as social class, philosophy, gender, and religion. To help fully contextualize Chaucer’s poetry, supplemental readings will include relevant works by Chaucer’s influences and contemporaries as well as recent scholarly interpretations of his writings. All assigned readings, including supplemental texts, are included in the Norton Critical Editions that are required for the class. Course requirements include active class participation, a series of papers culminating in a substantial research project, three examinations, oral recitations of Chaucer’s poetry, and daily graded assessments.