Chaucer's Work Exclusive of The Canterbury Tales

Learning to read and pronounce Middle English, the dialect spoken around London in the late fourteenth century, is a means to a larger end: to understand some of the social, religious, and aesthetic issues raised by Chaucer's works written prior to The Canterbury Tales. Learning to understand and apply literary theory to analysis of literary texts is another goal of this course. Competence in these aspects of literary study will be demonstrated as follows: linguistic skills through quizzes and an oral recitation; ability to find, summarize, and evaluate a scholarly article (using correct MLA parenthetical documentation) through the first short paper; ability to analyze one work of Chaucer's in the context of both literary theory and social/ religious/aesthetic issues through the final long paper and the final examination.

Required Texts:

1. The Riverside Chaucer, ed. Larry Benson (3rd edition). ISBN 0-395-29031-7.

2. Troilus and Criseyde, trans. Barry Windeatt (Oxford Worlds Classics). ISBN 0-19-283290-5.

3. M. H. Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. (Harcourt Brace). ISBN 0-15-505452-X.

Recommended:

Cassette tapes available through the Chaucer Studio (http://english.byu.edu/Chaucer/

Tentative List of Assignments and Classroom Activities:

Aug. 30 Introduction to Chaucer and pronunciation of Middle English.

Sept. 6 Labor Day; college closed

Sept. 13 The Book of the Duchess, pp. 330-46. Introduction to research tools.

Sept. 20 Troilus and Criseyde, Book I

Sept. 27 Troilus and Criseyde, Book II

Oct. 4 First paper due.

Oct. 11 Columbus Day (observed); college closed

Oct. 18 Troilus and Criseyde, Book III

Oct. 25 Troilus and Criseyde, Book IV;

Nov. 1 Troilus and Criseyde, Book V

Nov. 8 Legend of Good Women, Prologue and Legends I-IV

Nov. 15 Legend of Good Women, Legends V-IX

Nov. 22 First draft of second paper due.

Nov. 29 The House of Fame

Dec. 6 The Parliament of Fowls, and selected short poems.

Dec. 13 Final draft of second paper due.

Dec. 20 Final examination

Requirements:

1. Carefully prepare the reading selections before each class in order to be able to participate in class discussion. BRING THE RIVERSIDE CHAUCER TO CLASS EACH WEEK.

2. There will be two essays, periodic quizzes (including an oral test in Middle English pronunciation), and a final examination.

3. The final grade will be calculated as follows:

essay #1 20%

essay #2 40%

average of quizzes 20%

final exam 20%

4. Students are expected to attend class regularly, to arrive on time, and to hand in papers on the dates due.