Chaucer, Boccaccio, and the Debate of Love by N S Thompson
AlthoughThe Decameron and The Canterbury Tales have often been linked, this is the first ever major study of the two most popular collections of medieval framed narratives to examine them both beyond shared general similarities and also to look at the search for individual analogue or source material, which has proved so inconclusive. Thus, the present study examines the texts and their internal dynamics primarily as a whole and reveals many surprising similarities which have hitherto remained unnoticed. The two collections are examined in the light of their literary diversity, their shape as a form of quodlibet debate, their discussion of literature and its autonomy using the oppositions of utile diletto and 'sentence' 'solaas', and the specific way that individual narratives are treated so as to create a labyrinthine web for the reader to both negotiate and enjoy.
he makes a significant contribution to medieval studies/ Peter G. Beidler, Medium Aevum, LXVI.2
The analogies between the two authors are striking, and well illustrated. The style is clear, the translations provided ... adequate ... and the footnotes copious and arranged conveniently at the end of each chapter ... interesting and ambitious book. * Times Literary Supplement *
concise contextualization is one of the main virtues of this book ... The close reading and comparison of individual tales and groups of tales is mostly cogent and well balanced ... this is a useful, engaging, and often eloquent work that should help both industrious students and busy professors of medieval studies to clarify, if not to resolve, one of Chaucer's most enduring and labyrinthine 'enigmas'. * Nick Havely, University of York, MLR, vol 93, no 4, 1998 *
The analogies between the two authors are striking, and well illustrated. The style is clear, the translations provided ... adequate ... and the footnotes copious and arranged conveniently at the end of each chapter ... interesting and ambitious book. * Times Literary Supplement *
concise contextualization is one of the main virtues of this book ... The close reading and comparison of individual tales and groups of tales is mostly cogent and well balanced ... this is a useful, engaging, and often eloquent work that should help both industrious students and busy professors of medieval studies to clarify, if not to resolve, one of Chaucer's most enduring and labyrinthine 'enigmas'. * Nick Havely, University of York, MLR, vol 93, no 4, 1998 *
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780198123781 |
| ISBN 10 | 0198123787 |
| Title | Chaucer, Boccaccio, and the Debate of Love |
| Author | N S Thompson |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year published | 1996-10-03 |
| Number of pages | 364 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |