T

Jan. 10

Introduction, course texts, chronology, genealogy, backgrounds. After class, start making your way through Harvard's "Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer" tutorial, lessons 1 & 2. After class, catch up by reading Strohm in CCC.

R

Jan. 12

Pronunciation and Vocabulary I. DV: 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, and you will sign up for your class presentations of secondary scholarship. Over the weekend, practice pronunciation using your texts and the Chaucer MetaPage's Audio Files page and the files posted in Blackboard. In DV read Lenaghan, "Chaucer's Circle of Gentlemen and Clerks."

F

Jan. 13

Last day to add/drop a class. Over the weekend, do Lesson 6 in Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer to strengthen your skills.

T

Jan. 17

Pronunciation and Vocabulary II. Read DuBoulay, "The Historical Chaucer," in CT. DV: Envoy to Bukton (224); Envoy to Scogan (222);  To Rosamunde (218). Discuss short response papers; here is a sample response paper for your information.

R

Jan. 19

Begin The Canterbury Tales. General Prologue I (to line 444). Sound files: lines 1-117; 118-207; 208-330; 331-444.

Read Hoffman, "Chaucer's Prologue to Pilgrimage" (Merritt)and Donaldson, "Chaucer the Pilgrim," (Amanda) in CT. Work through Lesson 7 of Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer.

T

Jan. 24

Last day to elect S/U option. CT: General Prologue to end. Sound files: 445-541; 542-645ish; 646ish-746; 747-end.

For more on the estates, see NAEL

R

Jan. 26

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.

T

Jan. 31

CT: Knight’s Tale II (to end). Read Cannon in CCC. Here's a brief reading by David Wallace beginning at line 2743. Check your progress by doing Lesson 8 of Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer.

R

Feb. 2

TEST 1. Prepare for the translation passage on this exam by trying this sample quiz.

T

Feb. 7

CT: The Miller, The Reeve, and the Cook. Read Kittredge, "Dramatic Principle," (Minette) in CT, and Peter Brown’s “'Shot Wyndowe’: An Open and Shut Case?” (Ashley) which is available thru the MLA International Bibliography database at Dacus. 

R

Feb. 9

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. If you have time, read Spearing in CCC.

T

Feb. 14

CT: The Nun’s Priest. Read Pearsall in CCC (Stephanie) and Tom Shippey, “Bibliophobia: Hatred of the Book in the Middle Ages, Part I,” http://cms1.its.bbk.ac.uk/events/matthews/tom_shippey (George).

R

Feb. 16

CT: The Merchant. Read Benson  (Aaron)in CCC.

T

Feb. 21

CT: The Franklin. Read Kittredge, "The Marriage Group," in CT. Read Burrow (Amanda) in CCC.

R

Feb. 23

Excursus: medieval manuscript construction and codicology workshop. Skim Cornell University Library’s “The Making of the Medieval Book” (http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/medievalbook/intro.htm) and the Getty Museum’s “The Making of a Medieval Book” (http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/making/).  Read Linne R. Mooney, “Chaucer’s Scribe,” Speculum 81.1 (Jan. 2006): 97-138 (PDF file) (Patrick).

You must complete your pronunciation requirement by today!

T

Feb. 28
(Midterm grades due)

CT: The Wife of Bath: Prologue to line 452. Read Windeatt in CCC (Ruchi).

R

March 1

CT: The Wife of Bath: Prologue to end. (If you want to amuse yourselves, here's Dr. K's essay on Weird Al and the Wife of Bath.)

T

March 6

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). Essay Questions must be submitted by Tuesday at 9 PM.

W

March 7

Last day to withdraw or rescind S/U option. 

R

March 8

CT: The Parson. Test 2 (take-home) will be given out. It is due in TURNITIN by Monday, March 19, at 5 PM. No extensions! Be thinking about your long paper, in preparation for which, please review chs. 16 & 17 of CCC.

T

March 13

Spring Break

R

March 15

Spring Break

T

March 20

Discuss long paper. 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. Skim David Wallace in CCC (Minette).

W

March 21

Advising begins

R

March 22

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," (John)in TC.  Graduate Student Book Review due no later than today.

T

March 27

Troilus Book I. Read Lewis, "What Chaucer Really Did" (Maria) in TC. Review Chaucer's political lyric "Lak of Stedfastnesse" in DV.

R

March 29

Troilus Book II. Read Mehl, "The Audience of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde." (Ruchi)

T

April 3

Troilus Book III. Read Lambert (James) and Mann (George) 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 4

Registration begins

R

April 5

Troilus Book IV. Read Patterson, "Troilus and Criseyde and the Subject of History," in TC. Short Paper #4: Response to George Kane, "The Liberating Truth: The Concept of Integrity in Chaucer’s Writings." (PDF file)

T

April 10

Troilus Book V. Read Mann, "Feminizing Chaucer," (John) and Fradenburg, "Our owen wo to drynke," (AAron) in TC. 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.

R

April 12

DV: Legend of Good Women: Prologue and Cleopatra, Thisbe, Dido, Hypsipyle, Medea. Read Frank (Merritt) and Boffey & Edwards (Kristy) in CCC.

T

April 17

DV: Legend of Good Women: Lucrece, Ariadne, Philomela, Phyllis, Hypermnestra. Read Green, "Chaucer's Victimized Women," (Adam) and Hansen, "The Feminization of Men," (Kristy) in DV. We will hold rough draft conferences this week.

R

April 19

Wrap-up, evaluations, materials for final exam handed out. Bring Milk.

M

April 23

Last day of classes

T

April 24

Study day. Major critical essay due by 5 PM in hard copy and in turnitin.com.

Sat

April 28

Final exam schedule at 3 PM. Winthrop University Policy does not permit rescheduling of exams for travel or work purposes.