Chaucer and His Age (ENGL 420)
Destinations:
Course Description and goals
Apart from a survey of Chaucer’s work (primarily The Canterbury Tales and Troilus & Criseyde-to be read in Middle English) in an historical context, we will read historical documents and excerpts from contemporary authors in order to see why Chaucer, often banned from reading lists for being too full of “sex and drugs and rock-and-roll”, is considered one of the great English authors. We will also address modern theoretical approaches to the study of early literature. By the end of the course, you should possess a facility with Chaucer’s works and language and have developed a more sophisticated critical acuity (i.e. you should be better readers of and writers/thinkers about literature in general).
Required Texts
- The Riverside Chaucer. Ed. Larry D. Benson. Third Edition. Boston: Houghton, 1987.
- The Wife of Bath: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Ed. Peter Beidler. New York: Bedford, 1996.
- Middle English Literature: A Historical Sourcebook. Ed. Matthew Boyd Goldie. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
| Midterm Exam 20% | Research Essay 20% |
| Final Exam 20% | Group Project 10% |
| Quizzes 15% | Attendance / Participation 15% |
Attendance/Participation:
- This grade will drop 10 pts for each absence after the first, (ex: 1 absence=100, 2=90, 3=80, etc)
- I do not distinguish between types of absences.
- I reserve the right to increase this grade based upon your participation
- E-Mail: You will
be required to check your e-mail regularly for course material discussions,
schedule changes, and class issues.
Group Historical Context Projects
You will be split up into groups of 2-3. Each Group will be responsible
for giving a 15 minute in-class presentation on one of the following
topics:
| Reign and Deposition of Richard II |
Feminist Criticism |
Wycliffe and Lollardy |
| English Guilds in 14th Century |
Psychoanalytic Criticism |
Statute of Laborers |
| Hundred Year’s War |
Marxist Criticism |
Marriage Law and Custom |
| Peasants Revolt of 1381 |
New Historicism |
Jews and Muslims in Medieval England |
Your presentation should include
- A discussion of how your topic relates to Chaucer in general and to what we are reading that week specifically (do not merely read from a handout -- teach and discuss)
- A handout for your class members with relevant details and an annotated bibliography of useful scholarly print and web sources.
- A 2-4 page "paper" (essay format, outline format, whatever is appropriate) for me detailing what you discuss in #1A PC disk w/ all of the above materials (and any others you deem appropriate) in Word, WordPerfect, or (preferably) HTML format so I can easily post your material to the class web page. Include all images, as separate files, with appropriate source annotation.
All work submitted must be your own. Please review WCU policy regarding Plagiarism and the Academic Honesty Policy in the student handbook.If I find a student cheating, fabricating, or plagiarizing another’s work from any source (print, media, internet, etc.), that student will receive an “F” for the class, the transgression will be recorded in his or her WCU record, and I will, to the utmost of my ability, urge the administration to expel that student from WCU.
READING
SCHEDULE
(Subject to Change)
| Date |
Topic |
Read (RC= Riverside Chaucer; MEL=Historical Sourcebook; WoB=Biedler Wife of Bath) |
# of Pages |
Due |
| W Jan 14 |
Introduction to the Class and brief Synopsis of Middle English |
|
|
|
| F Jan 16 |
Introduction to Chaucer and the Middle Ages |
· Selections from Riverside Chaucer Introduction (xv-xxix) · Beidler’s Edition Intro (pp. 33-41) · "Chaucer's Wordes unto Adam, His Own Scriveyn" (pg 650) · "The Complaint of Chaucer to His Purse" (pg 656) |
24 |
|
| M Jan 20 |
MLK Jr. DAY |
NO CLASSES |
|
|
| W Jan 21 |
Psychological Realism and the Mind of the Middle Ages |
· Book of the Duchess (RC 329-46) |
17 |
Presentation: Reign and Deposition of Richard II |
| F Jan 23 |
Introduction to The Canterbury Tales and Medieval Physiognomy |
· from the Introduction to The Canterbury Tales (RC pgs 3-6); · Beidler Intro 3-16 · Begin the General Prologue (RC - read at least lines 1-117) · On Pilgrimages (Mel 32-36) |
23 |
|
| M Jan 26 |
Intro to Physiognomy |
· Canterbury Tales - The General Prologue · MSS Images (MEL 137-141) |
13 |
|
| W Jan 28 |
The Three Estates |
· The General Prologue |
|
|
| F Jan 30 |
Redemption vs. Damnation |
· The General Prologue |
|
Presentation: Guilds in the 14th Century |
| M Feb 2 |
Medieval Romance and the Genre of Nationalism |
· Knight's Prologue & Tale (at least Parts I & II to p.50) |
29 (13) |
|
| W Feb 4 |
Medieval Romance and the Gender of Art: "What's Love Got To Do With It?" |
· Finish Knight's Prologue & Tale · Battle of Agincourt (MEL 46-50) |
20 |
Presentation: Hundred Year's War |
| F Feb 6 |
The Knight as an “Ideal” Pilgrim ? |
· “Complaint of Mars”, “Complaint of Venus”, & “Gentilesse” (RC) |
7 |
|
| M Feb 9 |
Characterization: Cliché or not Cliché? |
· Miller's Prologue & Tale |
11 |
|
| W Feb 11 |
Medieval Fabliau and Artistic Nostalgia
|
· Miller's Prologue & Tale · Peasants’ Revolt (MEL 175-89) |
14 |
Presentation: Peasant's Revolt |
| F Feb 13 |
Fragment One and the Theme of Requital |
· Reeve's Prologue & Tale · Cook's Prologue & Tale |
10 |
|
| M Feb 16 |
Professional Antipathy and Continuation of Requitals |
· Friar's Prologue and Tale · Summoner's Prologue and Tale |
15 |
|
| W Feb 18 |
Spiritual Journey and the Structure of The Canterbury Tales |
· Parson's Prologue and Tale (focus on Prologue, skim/diagram Tale) |
35 (2+) |
Presentation: Wycliffe and the Lollards |
| F Feb 20 |
Midterm Exam |
Midterm Exam |
|
Midterm Exam |
| M Feb 23 |
Chaucer, Gender, Genre, and Class |
· Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale (WoB 42-84) |
42 |
|
| W Feb 25 |
The Stained Glass Ceiling |
· Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale · Pastons (126-32) |
16 |
|
| F Feb 27 |
Research: Feminism and Medieval Studies |
· Feminist Criticism & the WoB (255-73) · Hansen’s “‘Of his love daungerous to me’: Liberation, Subversion, and Domestic Violence in the Wife of Bath” (273-89) |
34 |
Presentation: Feminist Criticism |
| M Mar 1 |
Research: Psychoanalytic Criticism and Medieval Studies |
· Psychoanalytic Crit & the WoB (189-203) · Fradenburg’s “‘Fulfild of Fairye’: The Social Meaning of Fantasy in the WoB’s Prologue and Tale” (WoB 203-220) |
31 |
Presentation: Psychoanalytic Criticism |
| W Mar 3 |
Research: Marxist Criticism and Medieval Studies |
· Marxist Criticism and the WoB (155-69) · Finke’s “‘Alle is for to selle’: Breeding Capital in the WoB’s Prologue and Tale |
31 |
Presentation: Marxist Criticism |
| F Mar 5 |
Research: New Historicism and Medieval Studies |
· The New Historicism & the WoB (115-133) & Patterson’s “‘Experience woot it well it is noght so’: Marriage and the Pursuit of Happiness in the WoB’s Prologue and Tale |
40 |
Presentation: New Historicism |
| M Mar 8 W Mar 10 F Mar 12 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
|
| M Mar 15 |
The Marriage of Myths |
· Merchant's Prologue and Tale |
15 |
|
| W Mar 17 |
The Myths of Marriage |
· Merchant's Prologue and Tale · Marriage (HEL 21-31) · Ord. and Statute of Laborers (HEL 163-68) |
15 |
Presentation: Marriage Law and Custom in 14th Century England Presentation: The Statute of Laborers |
| W Mar 19 |
Scoring Tails: Marriage Debt |
· Shipman's Prologue and Tale |
5 |
|
| M Mar 22
|
Scoring Tales: Narrative Debt
|
· Clerk's Prologue and Tale |
16 |
|
| W Mar 24 |
The Plight of Troth |
· Franklin's Prologue and Tale |
11 |
|
| F Mar 26 |
The Marriage Group |
· Review: Merchant’s, Shipman’s Franklin's, & Clerk's Prologues and Tales · Chastity, Marriage, Widowhood, & Virginity (HEL 93-99) |
6 |
|
| M Mar 29 |
The Beast Fable |
· Nun’s Priest’s Prologue and Tale · Humors (HEL 13-20) |
17 |
|
| W Mar 31 |
No Class: Lit Festival |
No Class – Lit Festival |
|
|
| F Apr 2 |
Religion and Anti Semitism |
· Prioress’ Prologue and Tale · Prioress (HEL 37-45) · Saracens (HEL 118-25) · Far East (HEL only 106-08; 120-22) |
16 |
Presentation: Jews and Muslims in Medieval England |
| M Apr 5 |
The Worst of Pilgrims |
· The Pardoner’s Prologue & Tale |
10 |
|
| W Apr 7 |
Social Disruption and Religion |
· The Pardoner’s Prologue & Tale · Lechers and Sodomites (114-17) |
3 |
|
| F Apr 9 |
EASTER BREAK—NO CLASSES |
READ AHEAD!!! HEAVY READING AHEAD |
|
|
| M Apr 12 |
From Text to Screen |
|
|
Essay Due |
| W Apr 14 |
Chaucer and the Romance Tradition |
Troilus & Criseyde Book I |
18 |
|
| F Apr 16 |
Psychological Realism II |
T & C Book II |
23 |
|
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| M Apr 19 |
Consuming the Consummation |
T & C Book III (24 pages - focus on Proem, 652-1414) |
24 |
|
| W Apr 21 |
Tragic History I: Chaucer Ancient and Modern |
T & C Book IV (22 pages - focus on 946-1082, and 1415-1701)
|
22 |
|
| F Apr 23 |
Tragic History II: The Personal is Political |
T & C Book V (25 pages - focus on 729-826, 1639-end) |
25 |
|
| M Apr 26 |
Where’s Troilus? Where’s Criseyde? |
Review: T & C
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| W Apr 28 |
The End of Our Days |
Chaucer's Retraction |
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| F Apr 30 |
Last Day Of MWF Classes |
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Contact
Me |
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Office:
828-227-3173 |