The book of the duchessis the first of chaucers major poems. The book of the duchess is chaucers poetic response to a problem that con fronted the young. Most sources ascribe the date of composition between 69 and 72, though more recent studies suggest that the poem may have been completed as early as late 68. It provides a rigorous and critically balanced assimilation of the book of the duchess, the story of its reception and dissemination, and the major trends in its interpretive history into the fabric of. Chaucers the book of the duchess 199 crudely locate them in space. Description of text a modernised translation of chaucers book of the duchess, retaining as much of chaucers diction and rhymes as possible. Chaucer the book of the duchess a new freely downloadable. Geoffrey chaucer 421400 the book of the duchess middle. On the face of it, chaucers book of the duchess is an unprepossessing, even simple poem. This book spoke only of such things as the lives of queens and kings, and like matters without fail. The historical setting of chaucers book of the duchess. Humanities 2 2017 lecture 20 chaucers book of the duchess as. Most scolars ascribe the date of composition between 69 and 72.
An excellent book, including a cassette tape, on how vocal performance can affect the interpretation of chaucers characters is betsy bowdens chaucer aloud. He dreams that he wakes up in a beautiful chamber by the sound of hunters and hunting dogs. This volume, the first fulllength collection devoted to the book, argues powerfully against the. Why did geoffrey chaucer write the book of the duchess. The book of the duchess as a chaucerian consolation essay. The canterbury tales by geoffrey chaucer free at loyal books. The book of the duchess is written in middle english. Chaucer s first major poem, book of the duchess, represents a devoted readers best attempt at creating a meaningful and authoritative text of their own. Sherlock holmes stories magpie audio recommended for you 35. This third level beneath chaucer poet, beneath the reasonable man is implied in the book of the duchess but is incarnate in chaucer pilgrim in the canterbury tales.
Butterfield sac 16 94 pastoral and the politics of plague in machaut and chaucer p. Chaucer seems to be playing a variety of games and expands the vision he had in both the book of the duchess and the house of fame. Blanche, the wife of his patron person who commissioned and paid for poems and provided. The book of the duchess is the first major work of the english poet geoffrey chaucer l. Ellis chaur 29 945 the death of the book of the duchess t. The main purpose of these recordings is to help students improve their pronunciation of chaucers middle english. According to this general criterion, chaucers the book of the duchess may stake a claim to this genre of literature.
The ostensible occasion of chaucers poem is the death of blanche, duchess of lancaster and wife of the authors benefactor, john of gaunt. While to me it seems like kind of a given that the medieval folk were quite fixated on dreams and their significance, chaucer takes a really interesting stance here that makes for not one, but two good stories. The book of the duchess and other poems summary gradesaver. I was so happy to find the book of the duchess and six other lyrics included in the back of my copy of chaucers the canterbury tales. The book of the duchess, also known as the dreame of caucer, is the first major long poem published by geoffrey chaucer and was written sometime between 68 and 72 to commemorate duchess blanche of lancaster, wife to john gaunt, a son of king edward iii. It provides a rigorous and critically balanced assimilation of the book of the duchess, the story of its reception and dissemination, and the major trends in its interpretive history. Documents the date of blanches death as 12 september 68 rather than 69 by reference to historical documents and argues that chaucer composed book of the duchess in 6869. The book of the duchess work by chaucer britannica. Having achieved fame in the middle ages as a writer of both prose and poetry, as well as through his scientific and philosophical knowledge, chaucer became the first poet to be buried in poets corner at westminster abbey. Some of his most renowned works include the house of fame, the book of the duchess and the legend of good women. Description of text a modernised translation of chaucer s book of the duchess, retaining as much of chaucer s diction and rhymes as possible. The chaucer metapage audio files these are links to web pages with excerpts from chaucers works read by professors.
In the third of these, in 69, died queen philippa and her daughterinlaw blanche, the wife of john of gaunt, duke of lancaster. The book of the duchess southern methodist university. Its central matter consists of a largely onesided conversation between two strangers, leading to a wholly predictable revelation expressed in three short monosyllables. This investiga tion suggests that chaucer as poet was playing with the implications of the poetic process itself, with his material, and with his audience. The transformation of chaucers narrator in the book of. The emphasis is on accuracy of pronunciation, according to the most current scholarly thinking, though you will notice some individual.
The book of the duchess is the earliest of chaucers major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and possibly by his translation of the romaunt of the rose. Shippey chaur 31 967 chs arithmetical mentality and bd. Textuality and reception is the first comprehensive booklength study of chaucers earliest major narrative poem and its reception. Describes the textual history of book of the duchess and discusses significant variants among the three manuscripts and thynnes early edition, challenging the authenticity of lines 3196, 288, and. The book of the duchess, a modern english translation of.
The book of the duchess is the earliest of chaucer s major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and possibly by his translation of the romaunt of the rose. The book of the duchess was written by geoffrey chaucer sometime following the death in 68 or 69 of john of gaunts first wife blanche, the duchess of lancaster, and features a journey into an imaginative dreamscape where geoffrey encounters a black knight who has lost a wife named blanche. Four dreadful plagues laid england waste in chaucers lifetime. The text plays powerful games with clocks, stained glass windows, books, hunts and puns. When the duchess blanche died, chaucer wrote his first major poem, the book of the duchess, in which his elegy becomes, like the anonymous pearl, paradoxically an epithalamium, where the craft and alchemy of poetry restores the dead to life. And in this book were written fables that scholars had in ancient times, and other poets, set in rhymes 55 to read and preserve in mind when men still lived by law of kind. The book of the duchessis the first of chaucer s major poems. Sometime after september 68, during the reign of edward iii, a young courtier named geoffrey chaucer composed a poem in english that has variously been titled the deeth of blaunche the duchesse, the dreame of chaucer, and, most commonly today, the book of the duchesse. Whatever chaucer s motives may have been, he is plumbing deep into the heart of the elegy to bring the crux of the matter to light. Most sources put the date of composition after 12 september 68 when blanche of lancaster died and 72, with many recent studies privileging a date as early as the end of 68.
After extensive reading, chaucers first attempt to write a text draws significant inspiration from past texts such as ovids metamorphoses and the medieval french dream vision romance of the rose. Parallel between poets insomnia and knight according to the medieval dream theory and its classification system, the dream experience by the poet in the book of duchess seemingly belongs to that variety wherein the impression and concerns of the previous day are recycled during sleep macrobius 8890. Geoffrey chaucers poem, the book of the duchess, tells of a sleepdeprived man the dreamer who is looking for a cure for his anxiety. The book of the duchess, also known as the deth of blaunche, is the earliest of chaucers major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and. Integrating humor with sorrow offers a larger conception of the transitoriness of things.
Details on the black knights transformation of his love white into his chess. That poem of more than 1,300 lines, probably written in late 69 or early 70, is an elegy for blanche, duchess of lancaster, john of gaunts first wife, who died of plague. The book of the duchess by geoffrey chaucer, paperback. Based on the themes and title of the poem, most sources put the date of composition after 12 september, 68 when blanche of lancaster died. Book of the duchess harvards geoffrey chaucer website. Chaucer s the book of the duchess 199 crudely locate them in space. Chaucer uses an allegorical structure to avoid a breach in social decorum. The book of the duchess, also known as the deth of blaunche, is the earliest of chaucer s major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and possibly by his translation of the romaunt of the rose. Compact disks and downloads at half price of complete texts of individual works by chaucer can be purchased from the chaucer studio web site. How do we figure out the date the book of the duchess was written, and what are some problems with this technique.
The book of the duchess is a decently lengthy poem which has a really, really intriguing structure. The book of the duchess, one of chaucers earliestpoems has traditionallybeen read as an elegy for blanche, duchess of lancaster, who died inseptember, 69, and as an attempt by chaucer to console john of gaunt, blanches husband. The book of the duchess, also known as the deth of blaunche is the earliest of chaucers major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and possibly by his translation of the romaunt of the rose. In order to pass the time one night, he reads a book about king seys and his wife alcyone. The book of the duchess, chaucers first major poem, is foundational for our understanding of chaucers literary achievements in relation to latemedieval english textual production. The book of the duchess is the first of chaucers major poems. The book of the duchess as a chaucerian consolation 2014 words 9 pages. Opening title of the dreame of chaucer, commonly referred to as the book of the duchess, geoffrey chaucers first own work, which was written probably between 68 and 72.
Dive deep into geoffrey chaucers book of the duchess with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion. Other articles where the book of the duchess is discussed. Essay about poetic balance in chaucer s the book of the duchess chaucer, the medieval english poet who lived from 45 to 1400, lived through five major outbreaks of the plague, the black death from which, the swish of deaths scythe was heard for generations. Focusing on the construction and value of the book of the. Repre sentativeof the conventional interpretationof thepoem are the works of clemen, kittredge, muscatine and. For another argument dating the publication of the poem in 74 see the appendix to john m. Epidemic intertextualities in chaucers book of the duchess and tony kushners angels in america by kelly anne munger a thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts major. Chaucer probably wrote the poem to commemorate the death of blanche of lancaster, john of gaunts wife. The book of the duchess wikisource, the free online library. The tomb of the duchess in a masters orals i asked the candidate to discuss chaucers book of the duchess and brownings my last duchess. The wife of bath, the prioress and the miller are some of the colorful travelers. Book of the duchess crossreferences included at the bottom of the page8. Some of the english seems modernized, but a lot of it isnt.
Hardman jegp 93 94 images of pity in bd, sqt and tc s. The transformation of chaucers narrator in the book of the. In geoffrey chaucers first major work, the book of the duchess c. The book of the duchess and other poems by geoffrey chaucer. The book of the duchess, chaucer s first major poem, is foundational for our understanding of chaucer s literary achievements in relation to latemedieval english textual production.
It is a narrative poem which illustrates that chaucer was heavily influenced by french poetry in his early compositions. The book of the duchess from chaucer and his poetry by g l kittredge. Under the guise of the elegy, could chaucer be expressing a sycophantic zeal to pay homage to his benefactor. Application of the chess metaphor to the context of love. Consolation in the book of the duchess by geoffrey chaucer.
The book of the duchess is a poem of the dreamvision genre, presumably composed as an elegy for the death of blanche, duchess of lancaster the wife of geoffrey chaucer s patron, the royal duke of lancaster, john of gaunt in 68 or 69. A bibliographical compendium of the first 600 years. Textuality and reception is the first comprehensive, booklength study of chaucers earliest major narrative poem, its critical contexts and its. Perhaps chaucer cannot sustain the seriousness without resorting to the comic. Unsophistication is the keynote of the poets narrative voice. I was so happy to find the book of the duchess and six other lyrics included in the back of my copy of chaucer s the canterbury tales. Froissarts text is remarkably coherent in both meaning and sound. Directly after this, the horns sound ending the hunt and the narrator wakes. The book of the duchess is the earliest of chaucers major poems, preceded only by his short poem an abc and possibly his translation of the romaunt of the rose. Obviously, chaucers career was prospering, and his first important poem book of the duchessseems further evidence of his connection with persons in high places. Blanche, the wife of his patron person who commissioned and. The piece was composed for chaucers friend john of gaunt, duke of lancaster l. Making chaucers book of the duchess is the first comprehensive booklength study of chaucers earliest major narrative poem and its reception. Dive deep into geoffrey chaucer s book of the duchess with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion.
The duchess was blanche white, the wife of john of gaunt, duke of lancaster long castle and earl of richmond rich hill, who was chaucers patron, and a son of edward iii. He is an aspiring poetcourtier in a world where value is traditionally conferred by birth. The canterbury tales by geoffrey chaucer recounts twenty different stories recounted by a diverse group of pilgrims who gather at the tabard inn in southwark, near london, before setting out for the shrine of thomas becket in canterbury. Although we do not definitively know the cause of his illness, we are led to believe it is because of lovesickness. Essay about poetic balance in chaucers the book of the duchess chaucer, the medieval english poet who lived from 45 to 1400, lived through five major outbreaks of the plague, the black death from which, the swish of deaths scythe was heard for generations.
The poem was composed sometime in the few years after this event, and it is generally considered to be flattering to both the duke and the duchess. The rhetorical construction of narrator and narrative in chaucers. May 30, 2016 sherlock holmes stories magpie audio recommended for you 35. The varieties of textual interpretation philadelphia. Wheelers literature students, and it offers introductory survey information concerning the literature of classical china, classical rome, classical greece, the bible as literature, medieval literature, renaissance literature, and genre studies. Behind my question also lay the memory of a dreamlike church in the cotswalds, ewelme, where chaucers granddaughter, the countess of salisbury and the duchess of suffolk, lies buried. It seems intended as a conciliatory, perhaps even a cathartic work, for a man. It would seem fitting and natural that chaucer commemorate the duchess, as a measure of. Chaucers first major poem, book of the duchess, represents a devoted. The reason why chaucer wrote the book of the duchess most often is given as a straightforward explanation. This article provides information on the life and works of geoffrey chaucer, the father of english literature. Humanities 2 2017 lecture 20 chaucers book of the duchess. Focusing on the construction and value of the book of.