Abstract
This study reexamines Chaucer's engagement with his main Italian poetic sources by pointing out a startling paradox: that Chaucer was a poet who, unique among his English contemporaries, knew intimately the writings of Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch, and could best appreciate what was truly innovative about their enterprises, yet he systematically silenced those qualities that were most distinctive, thereby changing the course of English letters. This essay first identifies hallmarks of a trecento Italian tradition and then systematically examines how Chaucer quietly contests these Italian views with his own substitutions. Thus this piece is also a case study in authorial tradition, and how an author's individuality is most apparent when she or he is most indebted to source material.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
