Stephanie Trigg - 30 Great Myths about Chaucer

1 COVER

2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

3 INTRODUCTION: MYTHICAL CHAUCER

4 Myth 1: CHAUCER IS THE FATHER OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

5 Myth 2: CHAUCER WAS THE FIRST ENGLISH POET

6 Myth 3: CHAUCER SUFFERED AN UNREQUITED LOVE

7 Myth 4: CHAUCER’S MARRIAGE WAS UNHAPPY

8 Myth 5: CHAUCER’S SON THOMAS WAS JOHN OF GAUNT’S BASTARD

9 Myth 6: CHAUCER’S LANGUAGE IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR MODERN READERS

10 Myth 7: THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS REPRESENT ALL SOCIAL CLASSES AND CHARACTER TYPES

11 Myth 8: THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS ARE BASED ON REAL PEOPLE

12 Myth 9: THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS FORM A “MERRY COMPANY”

13 Myth 10: CHAUCER WAS A FEMINIST

14 Myth 11: CHAUCER WAS GUILTY OF RAPE

15 Myth 12: CHAUCER HAD A FALLING OUT WITH HIS BEST FRIEND

16 Myth 13: CHAUCER LIVED IN THE MIDDLE AGES

17 Myth 14: CHAUCER WAS A PROTO‐PROTESTANT

18 Myth 15: CHAUCER WAS ANTI‐SEMITIC

19 Myth 16: CHAUCER WAS A SPY

20 Myth 17: CHAUCER WAS A CROOK

21 Myth 18: CHAUCER WAS A POLITICAL OPPORTUNIST

22 Myth 19: THE WIFE OF BATH MURDERED HER HUSBAND

23 Myth 20: CHAUCER “OUTS” THE PARDONER

24 Myth 21: CHAUCER NEVER FINISHED THE CANTERBURY TALES

25 Myth 22: CHAUCER IS OBSCENE

26 Myth 23: CHAUCER WAS SKEPTICAL OF CHIVALRY

27 Myth 24: CHAUCER DESCRIBED HIMSELF IN HIS WORKS

28 Myth 25: CHAUCER WROTE THE FIRST NOVEL IN ENGLISH

29 Myth 26: CHAUCER WAS IN DANGER OF BEING THROWN IN DEBTOR’S PRISON

30 Myth 27: CHAUCER RENOUNCED HIS WORKS ON HIS DEATHBED

31 Myth 28: CHAUCER IS BURIED IN HIS OWN TOMB

32 Myth 29: CHAUCER WAS THE FIRST POET LAUREATE

33 Myth 30: CONTEMPORARY LITERARY THEORY IS IRRELEVANT TO CHAUCER

34 CODA

35 FURTHER READING Chaucer’s Works Backgrounds and Contexts Further Criticism Other Resources

36 WORKS CITED Chaucer Editions (All Works by Chaucer, Listed by Editor) Manuscripts Other Primary Texts Secondary Texts

37 INDEX

38 END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

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Thomas A. Prendergast and Stephanie Trigg

This edition first published 2020

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