ENGL 511: Chaucer
CCC = Cambridge Chaucer Companion
SP: Norton Shorter Poems
CT = Norton Critical Canterbury Tales
T&C = Norton Critical Troilus and Criseyde

Readings should be completed before class meeting.

M Jan 14 Introduction, course texts, chronology, genealogy, backgrounds. After class, start making your way through Harvard's "Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer" tutorial, lessons 1 & 2.
W Jan 16 Pronunciation and Vocabulary I. Read Strohm (ch. 1) in CCC. SP: To his Scribe Adam; Complaint to his Purse; Gentilesse.The material we will go over in class is reinforced by lessons 3-5 in the Harvard Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer tutorial. For a basic Chaucer glossary, click here. We'll discuss the reserve list as well.
F Jan 18 Last day to ADD or DROP classes via Wingspan or IN PERSON for the spring semester.　 Last day for students to elect to Audit courses
M Jan 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.　 Offices closed; no classes. Practice pronunciation using your texts and the Chaucer MetaPage's Audio Files page. In SP read Lenaghan, "Chaucer's Circle of Gentlemen and Clerks."
W Jan 23 Pronunciation and Vocabulary II. Read DuBoulay, "The Historical Chaucer," in CT. SP: Envoy to Bukton (224); Envoy to Scogan (222); To Rosemounde (218). Over the weekend, do Lesson 6 in Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer to strengthen your skills. Discuss short response papers; here is a sample response paper for your information.
M Jan 28 Last day for undergraduate students to select the S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) option for a course or to change a course from S/U to a letter grade. Begin The Canterbury Tales. General Prologue I (to line 444). Read Hoffman, "Chaucer's Prologue to Pilgrimage" and Donaldson, "Chaucer the Pilgrim," in CT. Work through Lesson 7 of Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer.
W Jan 30 CT: General Prologue to end. Read Cannon (ch. 14) in CCC. For a brief overview of the estates, see NAEL.
M Feb 4 CT: Knight’s Tale I (Parts I & II, to p. 45). Short Paper 1: Response to Nolan, "A Poet Ther Was," (essay in CT). A short excursus on Genre in Chaucer.
W Feb 6 CT: Knight’s Tale II (to end). Check your progress by doing Lesson 8 of Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer.
M Feb 11 TEST 1. Read Pearsall (ch. 10) in CCC. Prepare for the translation passage on this exam by trying this sample quiz.
W Feb 13 CT: The Miller, The Reeve, and the Cook. Read Kittredge, "Dramatic Principle," in CT.  Visualizing the Miller's Tale slideshow.
M Feb 18 CT: The Pardoner. Short paper 2: Response to Dinshaw (essay in CT). Do Lessons 9 & 10 in Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer. Here's a short explanation of indulgences from the British Library.
W Feb 20 CT: The Nun’s Priest. Read Spearing (ch. 12) in CCC.
M Feb 25 CT: The Merchant. Read Benson  (ch. 8) in CCC. Courtney and Jessica will lead discussion.
W Feb 27 CT: The Franklin. Read Kittredge, "The Marriage Group," in CT. Read Burrow (ch. 9) in CCC. Stephen will lead discussion.
M Mar 3 CT: The Wife of Bath: Prologue to line 452. Read Windeatt (ch. 13) in CCC. Robin will lead discussion.
W Mar 5 CT: The Wife of Bath: Prologue to end. If you want to amuse yourselves, here's Dr. K's paper on Weird Al and the Wife of Bath. Stephen will lead discussion.
M Mar 10 CT: The Wife of Bath: Tale. Short Paper 3: Response to Mary Carruthers, "Mary Carruthers, "The Wife of Bath and the Painting of Lions," PMLA 94. 2 (Mar. 1979), 209-222. J-Stor (Dacus database). Stephanie and Suzanne will lead the discussion. Essay Questions must be submitted by Tuesday at 5 PM.
W Mar 12 CT: The Parson. Photoshopping Chaucer. Last day to withdraw from a spring semester course.　 (Automatic N grade is issued.)　 Students may not withdraw from a course after this date without documented extenuating circumstances. Last day to rescind elected S/U option. A rescinded S/U will still count toward the maximum of four allowed. Courtney and Jessica will lead the discussion. Take home exam will be given out.
M Mar 17 Spring Break
W Mar 19 Spring Break
M Mar 24 Discuss long paper, in preparation for which, please review chs. 16 & 17 of CCC. We'll get ready for Troilus by reading the short poem Truth (SP: p. 219); we'll also look at a little bit of the Monk's Tale (online) to get a sense of medieval tragedy. Read his Prologue and the portraits of Lucifer, Adam, Sampson, Zenobia, Pedro King of Castile, and Hugolino Earl of Pisa.
W Mar 26 You must have completed your pronunciation requirement by today. This is the LAST extension of this deadline!

Online: Boece and Boethius (skim the Intro and read Book II and the passage on gentillesse on pp. 78-79 of Book III).You may also wish to look at the selections from Boethius in SP (268). Read Bloomfield, "Distance and Predestination," in TC.  Graduate Student Book Review due no later than today. Advising for Fall 2008 begins.
M Mar 31 Troilus Book I. Read Lewis, "What Chaucer Really Did" in TC and David Wallace (ch. 3) in CCC. Jamie will lead discussion.
W April 2 Troilus Book II. Read Mehl, "The Audience of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde." Registration begins.  
M April 7 Troilus Book III. Read Lambert (ch. 5) in CCC. You should discuss your paper topic with me in person no later than tomorrow; make an appointment or take your chances during office hours.
W April 9 Troilus Book IV. Read Mann (ch. 6) in CCC and Patterson, "Troilus and Criseyde and the Subject of History," in TC. Registration for Fall 2008 begins. Short Paper #4: Response to George Kane, "The Liberating Truth: The Concept of Integrity in Chaucer’s Writings." (PDF file)
M April 14 Troilus Book V. Read Mann, "Feminizing Chaucer," and Fradenburg, "Our owen wo to drynke," in TC. Jamie will lead discussion. You must all make a rough draft conference appointment with me for this or next week to discuss your paper. This is REQUIRED, not optional.
W April 16 CT: The Prioress’ Tale. Legend of Good Women: Prologue. Read Frank (ch. 11) and Boffey & Edwards (ch. 7) in CCC. Robin will lead the discussion.
M April 21 Legend of Good Women: Cleopatra, Thisbe, Dido, Hypsipyle, Medea. Read Green, "Chaucer's Victimized Women," in SP. We will hold rough draft conferences this week.
W April 23 Legend of Good Women: Lucrece, Ariadne, Philomela, Phyllis, Hypermnestra. Read Hansen, "The Feminization of Men," in SP. Suzanne and Stephanie will lead the discussion.
M April 28 Long paper due at 5 pm. Wrap-up, evaluations, final exam handed out. Last Day of Classes. Bring Milk.
T April 29 Study Day
W April 30 Final Exam (take-home) due 6:30 pm (scheduled exam beginning). If we can work out the transportation issues, this will take place over a medieval dinner in 264 Bancroft. Winthrop university policy does not accept travel plans or work schedules as reasons to reschedule a final examination.