Course requirements and deadlines

(a) a paper (approximately 8-12 pp.), on a topic chosen in consultation with (and approved by) the instructor, confirmed by a prospectus to be filed no later than 24 November, and due in final form at the end of the Reading Period (14 December);
(b) a final exam (scheduled for 15 December at 9 a.m.), covering the work studied for the course.

Text

The Riverside Chaucer, 3rd ed., ed. Larry D. Benson. Boston, 1987.

Books on Reserve in Mudd Library [N.B.: assigned readings that are marked with an asterisk can be found among these works]

Bloom, Harold. Geoffrey Chaucer.
Bowden, Muriel. A Commentary on the General Prologue.
Bryan, W.F., and Germaine Dempster. Sources and Analogues of the Canterbury Tales.
Dinshaw, Carolyn. Chaucer's Sexual Poetics.
Howard, Donald R. Chaucer.
Kolve, V.A. Chaucer and the Imagery of Narrative.
Patterson, Lee. Chaucer and the Subject of History.
Riverside Chaucer, ed. Larry D. Benson.
Rowland, Beryl. Companion to Chaucer Studies.
Schoeck, Richard, and Jerome Taylor. Chaucer Criticism. 2 vols.
[Also available on reserve are two glossaries that may usefully augment the glossary in the text; and several casette tapes of renderings of Chaucer in Middle English.]

Schedule of assignments

3 Sept. Introductory lecture and discussion
5 Sept. Riverside Chaucer, Introduction (esp. xxix-xlii, on Chaucer's language); pp. 3-6; and "General Prologue" to the Canterbury Tales, lines 1-42
8 Sept. "General Prologue," lines 43-164
[N.B.: As background for discussion of the "General Prologue," read at least one pilgrim's portrait from Bowden, Commentary*; and Paul Beichner, "Daun Piers, Monk and Business Administrator," in Schoeck and Taylor.* For an interesting portrait of a historical figure resembling the Prioress, see Eileen Power, "Madame Eglentyne," in Medieval People.*]
10 Sept. "General Prologue," lines 165-360
12 Sept. "General Prologue," lines 361-541
15 Sept. "General Prologue," lines 542-746
17 Sept. "General Prologue," lines 747-end; "Knight's Tale," beginning to line 1001
19 Sept. "Knight's Tale," part 1 (to line 1354) [N.B.: as background to "Knight's Tale," read Robert M. Jordan, "Chaucerian Narrative," in Rowland, Companion.*]
22 Sept. "Knight's Tale," parts 2 & 3(to line 2482)
24 Sept. "Knight's Tale," part 4 (to line 3108); and Boece, p. 420 ("Prosa 8" and "Metrum 8)
26 Sept. "Prologue" and "Miller's Tale"; suggested interpretive reading: Lee Patterson, Chaucer and the Subject of History,* ch. 5; Katherine Zieman, "Chaucer's Voys"*
29 Sept. "Prologue" and "Reeve's Tale"; also "Prologue" and "Cook's Tale"; suggested background reading: V.A. Kolve, Chaucer and the Imagery of Narrative,* ch. 5
1 Oct. "Man of Law's Introduction," "Prologue," and "Tale"
3 Oct. "Wife of Bath's Prologue"; Bryan and Dempster, Sources and Analogues,* 207-268
6 Oct. Demonstration/discussion of the CD-Rom Canterbury Tales Project (using the "Wife of Bath's Prologue" as example)
8 Oct. "Wife of Bath's Tale"; Carolyn Dinshaw, Chaucer's Sexual Poetics,* ch. 4
10 Oct. "Prologue" and "Friar's Tale"
13 Oct. "Prologue" and "Summoner's Tale"
15 Oct. "Prologue" and "Clerk's Tale"; James Sledd, "Clerk's Tale," in Schoeck and Taylor*
17 Oct. Mid-term essay due

27 Oct. "Merchant's Prologue," "Tale," and "Epilogue"; E.T. Donaldson, "Effect of the Merchant's Tale," in Bloom*
29 Oct. "Squire's Tale"
31 Oct. "Franklin's Prologue" and "Tale"; Chauncey Wood, "Chaucer and Astrology," in Rowland*
3 Nov. "Physician's Tale"; Bryan and Dempster,* 398-408
5 Nov. "Pardoner's Prologue" and "Tale"; suggested background reading: Bradford Skow, "Evasive Criticism and the Moral Dilemma of the Pardoner's Prologue"*
7 Nov. "Shipman's Tale"
10 Nov. "Prioress's Prologue" and "Tale"; Judith Ferster, "'Your Praise Is Performed by Men and Children': Language and Gender in the Prioress's Prologue and Tale," in Exemplaria 2: 149-168
12 Nov. "Prologue" and "Tale of Sir Thopas" (with a cursory glance at the "Tale of Melibee"); E.T. Donaldson, "Chaucer the Pilgrim," in Schoeck and Taylor*
14 Nov. "Prologue" and "Monk's Tale"
17 Nov. "Prologue" and "Nun's Priest's Tale"
19 Nov. Saul Brody, "Truth and Fiction in the 'Nun's Priest's Tale,'" in Bloom*
21 Nov. "Second Nun's Prologue" and "Tale"
24 Nov. "Canon's Yeoman's Prologue" and "Tale"; [prospectus for final essay--see option 5, above--due]
26 Nov. "Manciple's Prologue" and "Tale"
1 Dec. Excerpts from the "Parson's Tale"; "Chaucer's Retractions"; Donald Howard, "Idea of the Canterbury Tales," in Bloom*; C.A. Owen, "Importance of the Literal," in Bloom*
3 Dec. Parliament of Fowls
5 Dec. Donald Baker, "Parliament of Fowls," in Rowland*
8 Dec. The Legend of Good Women, "Prologue"
10 Dec. discussion: of topics to be treated in essays by members of the class
14 Dec. Final essay due [see option 5, above]
15 Dec. FINAL EXAM [see option 5, above], 9 a.m.