Context Flashcards
Who is THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS written as an elegy for?
Blanche of Lancaster, John of Gaunt’s first wife
When did Blanche of Lancaster die?
1368
Who was Chaucer’s wife?
Philippa Roet
How did Chaucer know John of Gaunt?
Close friends- Chaucer served under his patronage- near end of their lives, they became brothers-in-law- Lancaster married Philippa’s sister
Which late 12th century poet had a huge influence on lais?
Marie de France
What does Kathryn Hume argue are the typical features of a Breton Lai?
A concern with LOVE and what the Franklin calls GENTILESSE; magic (both faerie and other); an a-Christian ethic
What does Kathryn Hume also acknowledge as important parts of the Breton Lais?
love-interest; promises
How many of the other extant Middle English lais were written around the same time as THE FRANKLIN’S TALE, according to Kathryn Hume?
4/7
Which simple exemplum does Katie Homar acknowledge Chaucer built the FRIAR’S on?
Robert Rypon’s THE GREEDY BAILIFF
What is the discussion about demonology between the summoner and the devil-yeoman called in the FRIAR’S?
Scole matere section
Which tales are based on stories which also appear in John Gower’s “Confessio Amantis”?
MAN OF LAW’S; WIFE OF BATH’S; PHYSICIAN’S; MANCIPLE’S
What is the name of the story collection that John Gower published?
CONFESSIO AMANTIS
When did John Gower complete “Confessio Amantis” in its first form?
1390
Whose tale is it generally accepted that the Man of Law tells in earlier drafts?
The Tale of Melibee
Whose tale did the Wife of Bath apparently tell in early drafts?
The Shipman’s Tale
What is the biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader called?
Hagiography
Where does Chaucer use rime royal?
Troilus and Criseyde; Man of Law’s; Clerk’s; Prioress’s; Second Nun’s; ANELIDA AND ARCITE; The Parliament of Fowls; number of shorter poems
Which tales are part of the ‘Marriage Group’?
Wife of Bath’s; Clerk’s; Merchant’s; Franklin’s
Which tales out of the ‘Marriage Group’ directly cite the Wife of Bath?
Clerk’s; Merchant’s
Which tales are the most elaborately ornamented productions?
Merchant’s; Squire’s
Which tale does The Clerk’s Tale largely resemble?
Man of Law’s- the story of Custance/the tale of Griselda
Which biblical character does Griselda in The Clerk’s Tale resemble?
Job
What rhyme scheme does Chaucer use for most of his tales of pathos?
Rime royal
What is unusual about the structure of The Clerk’s Tale?
It is followed by an envoi
Which tale was apparently composed as a companion piece to The Clerk’s?
Merchant’s
How are the Squire and the Knight related?
The Knight is the Squire’s father
Which famous literary figure was convinced that Chaucer intended to finish The Squire’s Tale?
John Milton
Which tale attracted much attention from writers in the Elizabethan period?
Squire’s- Milton; Edmund Spenser; John Lane
Which tales are characterised by affecting scenes of parents and children?
Physician’s; Man of Law’s; Clerk’s; Prioress’; Ugolino episode in Monk’s
Which tales were likely written before Chaucer had conceptualised the wider framework?
Knight’s; Second Nun’s; Monk’s?; Physician’s?
When were the Jews banished from England?
1290
Which two tales does the pilgrim Chaucer tell?
Sir Thopas; The Tale of Melibee
How many pilgrims are there in the General Prologue?
29
How many tales are there?
24
Which tale does Melibee share many lines with?
Merchant’s
How many short stories are included in Monk’s?
17
Which important date features in both The Knight’s and The Nun’s Priest’s?
3 May
What does the Nun’s Priest spin his tale out with many of?
An excursus
What were the 3 medieval social estates?
Clergy; nobility; commoners/peasantry
Which king did Chaucer write during the reign of?
Richard II
When do people usually deduce that THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS was written?
Between 1369-72
What form are both THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS and THE HOUSE OF FAME written in?
Octosyllabic (rhyming?) couplets
What is usually the suggested date for the composition of THE HOUSE OF FAME?
1379-80
Which book is the dreamer reading at the beginning of THE HOUSE OF FAME?
Aeneid
Which book is the dreamer reading at the beginning of THE PARLIAMENT OF FOWLS?
Cicero’s SOMNIUM SCIPIONIS- “Dream of Scipio”
Rime royal stanza
7 lines; usually iambic pentameter; ABABBCC; can be constructed either as a tercet and 2 couplets, or as a quatrain and a couplet- this allows for variety
Which stanza did Chaucer potentially adapt the rime royal from?
Boccaccio’s OTTAVA RIMA
What historical event does THE PARLIAMENT OF FOWLS potentially concern?
Negotiations in 1380 for the betrothal of Richard II to Anne of Bohemia
Envoy
a short stanza at the end of a poem such as ballad used either to address an imagined or actual person or to comment on the preceding body of the poem
Which book is the dreamer reading at the beginning of THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS?
Metamorphoses
What is the form of the Knight’s song for his lost love in THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS?
Complaint- a medieval literary form- usually a short, sometimes musical poem, sung by a lover about his loss of a love, essentially a lyric genre
What is the top-to-bottom description of the Knight’s lady in THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS called?
A blazon
What do the birds at the end of THE PARLIAMENT OF FOWLS sing?
A roundel
What form is Chaucer credited with bringing into English?
Rime royal
