106-053 Chaucer and the Canon

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Usually 25 points of First Year English, see Prerequisites.

Semester

Subject Description

This subject has two main directions: an introduction to the work of Geoffrey Chaucer in the context of late medieval textual and cultural production in England; and the subsequent history and reception of Chaucer as the so-called 'father' of English poetry. We will examine how and why Chaucer became the canonical point of origin for early poetic tradition in English, and the implications of this special treatment for contemporary readings of Chaucer and other medieval writing. On completion of the subject students should have developed a reading knowledge of Chaucerian English and be familiar with current debates about critical method and pedagogy in medieval studies.