The book of the duchess, also known as the deth of blaunche, is the earliest of chaucers major poems, preceded only by his short poem, an abc, and. In showcasing the knights complete lack of interest in the hunt, coupled by his general lethargy, chaucer effectively parallels the knights apathy to that experienced by the. And in this book were written fables that scholars had in ancient times, and other poets, set in rhymes 55 to read and preserve in mind when men still lived by law of kind. Ellis chaur 29 945 the death of the book of the duchess t. Structure and consolation in the book of the duchess. The duchess was blanche white, the wife of john of gaunt, duke of lancaster long castle and earl of richmond rich hill, who was chaucers patron, and a son of edward iii. Book of the duchess harvards geoffrey chaucer website. The piece was composed for chaucers friend john of gaunt, duke of lancaster l. A reading of chaucers the book of the duchess iowa state. Parallel between poets insomnia and knight according to the medieval dream theory and its classification system, the dream experience by the poet in the book of duchess seemingly belongs to that variety wherein the impression and concerns of the previous day are recycled during sleep macrobius 8890.
The book of the duchess washington state university. In geoffrey chaucers first major work, the book of the duchess c. Challenges the traditional designation of book of the duchess as a consolation by arguing that the dreamer fails to aid the black knight. Consolation in the book of the duchess by geoffrey chaucer. Structure and consolation in the book of the duchess by helen phillips most recent critics, in contrast with earlier views,1 find in the book of the duchess both unity of structure and some kind of consola tion, or at least a serious response, intellectual or emotional, to the poems problem of love and death. Traditionally debate focused on the quality of the work. Geoffrey chaucers poem the book of the duchess was written between the years 6972. The dreamer, the whelp, and the consolation in the book of the duchess. Taylor chaur 32 978 game of chess in bd jenny adams chaur 34 9900 pawn takes knights queen. Chaucers concern is literary merit, not christian consolation. Initiates the modern recognition of book of the duchess as psychological consolation, examining the role of the narrator in the poem, and arguing that his grief is.
And bade someone bring me a book, a romance, and this i took to read and drive the night away, 50 since i thought it better, i say, than chess or backgammon tables. Shippey chaur 31 967 chs arithmetical mentality and bd g. Written in octosyllabic couplets, the 1,335line poem is a veritable mosaic of several genresincluding allegory, dream vision, elegy, and romanceinfused with themes of love, loss, and consolation. It would seem fitting and natural that chaucer commemorate the duchess, as a measure of consolation to his powerful patron. Consolation in the book of duchess in book of the duchess, geoffrey chaucer draws close parallels between the poets insomnia and the knights grief. The book of the duchess as a chaucerian consolation essay. The book of the duchess is an elegy for blanche, duchess of lancaster, who.