Geoffrey Chaucer: Unveiling the Merry Bard [Hardcover]

A new critical biography of medieval England’s most famous poet.
 
For over six centuries, Chaucer has epitomized poetic greatness, though more recent treatments ofThe Canterbury Tales’ lively and often risqué style have made his name more synonymous with bawdy humor. But beyond his poetic achievements, Chaucer assumed various roles including those of royal attendant, soldier, customs official, justice of the peace, and more. In this book, Mary Flannery chronicles Chaucer’s life during one of the most turbulent periods of English history, illuminating how he came to be known not only as the father of English poetry but also as England’s “merry bard.”Mary Flanneryis the Swiss National Science Foundation Eccellenza Professorial Fellow at the University of Bern. A regular contributor to theTimes Literary Supplement, her publications includePractising Shame: Female Honour in Later Medieval England.