Chaucer from Prentice to Poet
Chaucer from Prentice to Poet
The Metaphor of Love in Dream Visions and Troilus and Criseyde
A comprehensive reevaluation of Chaucer’s early poetry, from the "dream visions" to Troilus and Criseyde
While covering all the major work produced by Geoffrey Chaucer in his pre-Canterbury Tales career, Chaucer from Prentice to Poet seeks to correct the traditional interpretations of these poems. Edward Condren provides new and provocative interpretations of the three "dream visions"—Book of the Duchess, Parliament of Fowls, and House of Fame—as well as Chaucer’s early masterwork Troilus and Criseyde. Condren draws an arresting series of portraits of Chaucer as glimpsed in his work: the fledgling poet seeking to master the artificial style of French love poetry; the passionate author attempting to rebut critics of his work; and, finally, the master of a naturalistic style entirely his own. This book is one of the few works written in the past century that reevaluates Chaucer’s early poetry and the only one that examines the Dream Visions in conjunction with the Troilus.It should frame the discourse of Chaucer scholarship for many generations to come.
"A very challenging work, the product of intense study, deep insight, and considerable daring; its conclusions will spark wide debate in Chaucer studies."—J. Stephen Russell, Hofstra University"By treating the Dream Vision poems along with the Troilus, Condren is able to shed new light on Chaucer’s growth as a man and as an artist. Each poem is analyzed rewardingly."—Chauncey Wood, McMaster University
Edward I. Condren is professor of English at the University of California, Los Angeles.
