Syllabus for English 152A
Winter quarter, 2000

Reading Assignments (each assignment should be completed before the class in which it will be discussed; rereading is strongly recommended):


Monday, January 10: Introductory class; Chaucer's language, pronunciation, introduction to General Prologue.

Wednesday, January 12: General Prologue, to l. 444; in Miller, Chaucer: Sources, Estates theory, pp. 155-60, Ramon Lull, pp. 180-186,lLiterary theory, Richard de Bury, 74-76 


Monday, January 17: MLK holiday

Wednesday, January 19: General Prologue, 445 to end; in Miller: Sources, John Gower, pp. 215-227; Literary theory, Dante, pp. 77-81.


Monday, January 24: Knight's Tale, parts 1 and 2;  in Miller, Sources, pp. 150-60, 166-78. In class, some courtly ballades, virelais, rondeaux of Guillaume de Machaut.

Wednesday, January 26: Knight's Tale, parts 3 and 4; in Miller, Sources, p. xvi (Wheel of Fortune), pp. 187-91 (Bonet on honor), pp. 289-90 (Boethius on love). 


Monday, January 31: Miller's Prologue and Tale. Internet assignment on Chaucer's life and times.

Wednesday, February 2: Reeve's Prologue and Tale; Cook's Prologue and Tale (a fragment);  Miller,  Sources, antifeminist tradition, pp. 399-402.

Monday, February 7: Wife of Bath's Prologue;  Miller, Sources: Literary theory, pp. 53-57,  Sarum marriage service, pp. 373-84; antifeminist tradition, 411-33, 452-73.

Wednesday, February 9: Wife of Bath's Tale. 


Monday, February 14: Clerk's Prologue and Tale to l. 609;  Miller, Sources, Literary theory, Petrarch and Boccaccio, pp. 82-91; Petrarch's Griselda story, pp. 136-51.

Wednesday, February 16: Clerk's Tale, l. 610 to end.


Monday, February 21: Presidents' Day holiday.

Wednesday, February 23:  Midterm exam


Monday, February 28: Merchant's Prologue and Tale; Miller, Sources, pp. 388-90.

Wednesday, March 1: Franklyn's Prologue and Tale 

Monday, March 6: Pardoner's Pardoner's Prologue and Tale; Sources, pp. 229-230. Tale of Sir Topas

Wednesday, March 8: Nun's Priest's Tale; Sources, Geoffrey of Vinsauf, John of Garland, pp. 66-73


Monday, March 13: Nun's Priest's Tale

Wednesday, March 15: Selections from Parson's Tale: prologue pp. 530-32, the Tale to p. 536; then Part 553-97.  Chaucer's Retraction, pp. 606-607.


The final examination will be on Friday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 11.
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