FALL, 2006                                    RICE UNIVERSITY                       DR. JANE CHANCE

 

ENGL/MDST 316/WTSG 305: GEOFFREY CHAUCER

2:30-3:45 TTH

Distribution I course

 

 

 

Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400) and his literary, cultural, and philosophical backgrounds. Readings will include short poems, a dream vision, select Canterbury Tales, and the Troilus. As well, film versions and adaptations of The Canterbury Tales will be available.

 

Note: Graduate students can sign up for this course as an English Department Graduate Directed Reading.

 

TEXTS:

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Riverside Chaucer, ed. Larry D. Benson, 3rd ed. (Oxford, 1988), pb. 0192821091 Used $34.00 (amazon.com) PR1851 .B46 1987

Cassette Recording, The General Prologue, by Paul Thomas (Provo: The Chaucer Studio, 1994). 

Robert P. Miller, ed. Chaucer: Sources and Background (Oxford, 1977), pb., 0195021673 $29.95 PR1912 .A2 C48

Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, trans. V.E. Watts (Penguin), pb. $11.16 0140447806 B659.C2 E59 1969

Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde, trans. Nevill Coghill (Penguin, rpt. 1995) $9.95   0140442391PR1870 .A1 C63 1977

 

FILMS (ON RESERVE at Fondren; digital streaming at Language Resource Center):

Pier Paolo Pasolini, dir., The Canterbury Tales, 1971  (English subtitles available); DVD PN1997 .C368   2003 (106 mins.)

BBC Canterbury Tales (Miller¡¯s Tale, Wife of Bath¡¯s Tale, Knight¡¯s Tale, Captain¡¯s Tale, Pardoner¡¯s Tale, Man of Law¡¯s Tale), 2004; DVD & VHS PN1997.2 .C267 2004 (338 minutes total) PN1997.2 .C2678 2004 v. 1-3 (VHS)

Danny Boyle, dir., A Shallow Grave, 1995; DVD (94 mins.) Screenplay: http://inflow.corky.net/scripts/shallowGrave.html -

 

SYLLABUS:

Tu Aug. 29   Introduction: See Pasolini¡¯s Canterbury Tales (possibly 4-6 p.m.)

Th Aug. 31   Chaucer's Short Poems: ¡°To Rosemounde¡±

 

Tu Sept. 5  "Gentilesse," "Truth"

Th Sept. 7  "Complaint to His Purse"                                      Short Paper #1 Due

 

Tu Sept. 12  Book of the Duchess

                   Read Macrobius, from the Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, in Miller, pp. 44-52

Th Sept. 14  Read Ovid, ¡°Ceyx and Alcyone,¡± from the Metamorphoses, in Miller, pp. 106-12

                 And Andreas Capellanus, from The Treatise on Love, ¡°Distinctions concerning Love¡± and ¡°The Rules of Love,¡± in Miller, pp. 291-99

 

Tu Sept. 19 General Prologue to the CT: Introduction and Retraction to the Canterbury Tales

                  Listen to the General Prologue on tape

Th Sept. 21  The Knight: Read Geoffroi de Charny, from The Book of Chivalry: ¡°The Making of a Knight,¡± in Miller, pp. 166-68; R¨¢mon Lull, from The Book of the Order of Chivalry, on ¡°The Origins and Purpose of Chivalry,¡± and ¡°The Office of Knighthood,¡± in Miller, pp. 180-86

                 Film Showing: 4-5 p.m. BBC Canterbury Tales: Knight¡¯s Tale

 

Tu Sept. 26 The Monk, The Prioress, The Friar, The Clerk, The Parson

                 Read: Ovid, from The Art of Love, Advice to Women, in Miller, pp. 282-86

                 John Gower, from Vox Clamantis, on The Clergy, in Miller, pp. 215-228, 264-68

Th Sept. 28 The Wife of Bath, the Merchant, the Miller, the Reeve

                 Read Ovid, from Amores, on ¡°The Lover¡¯s Warfare,¡± in Miller, pp. 286-88

                 Film Showing: 4-5 BBC Canterbury Tales: Wife of Bath 

 

Tu Oct. 3 The Summoner, the Pardoner, the Host, and Chaucer the Pilgrim

Th Oct. 5                                                                                 Short Paper #2 Due

                 Film Showing: 4-5 BBC Canterbury Tales: Pardoner

 

Tu Oct. 10   Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, Books 1-3

Th Oct. 12 Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, Books 4-5

Fr  Oct. 13  Mid-term Exam due at 9 A.M. 

 

Tu Oct. 17 Mid-term break

Th Oct. 19 Knight¡¯s Tale, Part One

Read: Giovanni Boccaccio, from the Teseide, ¡°Emilia appears to Palemon and Arcita,¡± in Miller, pp. 323-28  

 

Tu Oct. 24 Knight¡¯s Tale, Part Two and Three

                  Read: Giovanni Boccaccio, from the Teseide, ¡°Arcita¡¯s Prayer to Mars,¡± ¡°Gloss:    The Temple of Mars,¡± ¡°Gloss: The Temple of Venus,¡± in Miller, pp. 329-43

Th Oct. 26 Knight¡¯s Tale, Part Four

 

Tu Oct. 31 Miller¡¯s Tale

Th Nov. 2 Reeve¡¯s Tale   

Tu Nov. 7 Wife of Bath's Prologue

                 Read: Bartholomaeus Anglicus, from The Properties of Things, on ¡°Husband and Wife,¡± in Miller, pp. 385-87; Miller, on ¡°The Antifeminist Tradition,¡± pp. 399-402, Theophrastus, from The Golden Book on  Marriage, in Miller, pp. 411-14; and St. Jerome, from The Epistle Against Jovinian, in Miller, pp. 415-36

Th Nov. 9 Wife of Bath's Tale 

                

Tu Nov. 14 Clerk's Tale                                                                          

                 Read Petrarch¡¯s Story of Griselda, in Miller, pp. 137-52           

Th Nov. 16 Franklin's Tale                                                  

Read Giovanni Boccaccio, from Il Filocolo, ¡°The Question of Menedon and Fiammetta¡¯s Opinion,¡± in Miller, pp. 121-35

 

Tu Nov. 21 Pardoner¡¯s Tale  Film Showing 4-6: Danny Boyle¡¯s A Shallow Grave             Short Paper #3 Due

Th Nov. 23 Thanksgiving Vacation 

 

Tu Nov. 28  Troilus and Criseyde, Book 1 (in translation)

Th Nov. 30  Troilus and Criseyde, Book 2 & 3

 

Tu Dec. 5  Troilus and Criseyde, Book 4 & 5

Th Dec. 7  Conclusions

Fr  Dec. 8   Exam on Second Part of the Course is Due: 9:00 A.M.

 

 Requirements:

 

1. Several short (3-5 pp.) papers, any of which except the last can be revised for a possible higher grade

2. Take-home Honor Code-bound e-Midterm and Final Examinations

 

Papers: 50% of your grade; Exams: 50% of your grade. Participation enhances final grades.

 

Office Hours:

 

4-5 TTH 235 Herring Hall x2625 and by appointment. jchance@rice.edu

 

Website: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~jchance/chaucer3.htm