Donald R. Howard (1) (1927–1987)
Teoksen Chaucer: His Life, His Works, His World tekijä
Katso täsmennyssivulta muut tekijät, joiden nimi on Donald R. Howard.
Tietoja tekijästä
Donald R. Howard's distinguished academic career began with a teaching post at Ohio State University. He was professor of English at The Johns Hopkins University and also at Stanford University, where he was named Olive H. Palmer Professor of Humanities. Donald Howard died in March 1987.
Tekijän teokset
Writers and Pilgrims: Medieval Accounts of the Jerusalem Pilgrimage (Quantum Book) (1980) 10 kappaletta
Associated Works
Merkitty avainsanalla
Yleistieto
- Syntymäaika
- 1927-09-18
- Kuolinaika
- 1987-03-02
- Sukupuoli
- male
Jäseniä
Kirja-arvosteluja
Listat
Palkinnot
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Associated Authors
Tilastot
- Teokset
- 4
- Also by
- 1
- Jäseniä
- 330
- Suosituimmuussija
- #71,937
- Arvio (tähdet)
- 3.6
- Kirja-arvosteluja
- 4
- ISBN:t
- 10
The material is developed in chronological order, presenting what Chaucer’s education and duties would have been as a page at the court of Prince Lionel and his wife Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, what is known of his life at war in service with John of Gaunt and Prince Lionel, his return to the court of King Edward and the development of his life as courier and diplomat at home and abroad, and concluding with a description of his life in accounting jobs, working with the Wool Custom and as Clerk of the Works (in charge of maintence of all the buildings, etc., of the Royal Courts). Howard is always clear about documentary evidence, and when he is speculating or theorizing, he says so.
Along the way are excellent discussions of Chaucer’s development as a poet, paying detailed attention to how his European trips gave him the opportunity to grow more familiar with the works of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccacio. Early on, a helpful description of courtly love conventions is given, along with the French literature Chaucer would have known from his education and liife at court. Howard devotes two chapters to presenting the influence of Boccacio, not only on Chaucer, but also on the development of fiction in European literature. At appropriate points in this chronology excellent analyses and discussions of the individual poems are given, sometimes in one or more chapters. We see the development of his style toward more realism that will culminate in The Canterbury Tales. And throughout we learn that valid interpretations of Chaucer’s work depend on a reader’s carefully considering and giving appropriate weight to the facts that the 14th century was an Age of Faith and that Chaucer, like most everyone else of his time and place, was concerned foremost for the fate of his soul. Overall, this book was very informative and a pleasurable reading experience.
This study would provide useful (maybe indispensable?) background for first-time readers of Chaucer, or for anyone needing a thorough review before rereading. I think it would also be enjoyable for anyone interested in medieval Europe (focus on England, of course) in the 14th century.
5*… (lisätietoja)