Geoffrey Chaucer in Context

Ian Johnson is Reader in English at the University of St Andrews. He is co-editor of The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism: Volume II, The Middle Ages (Cambridge, 2005) and author of The Middle English Life of Christ: Academic Discourse, Translation, and Vernacular Theology (2013).

• Introduction: contextualising contexts of Chaucer Ian Johnson; Part I. Chaucer as Context: 1. What was Chaucer like? J. A. Burrow; 2. Chaucer's life and literary 'profession' Andrew Galloway; Part II. Books, Discourse and Traditions: 3. Chaucer's linguistic invention Jeremy J. Smith; 4. Chaucer and London English Jeremy J. Smith; 5. Manuscripts and manuscript culture Rhiannon Purdie; 6. Chaucer's books Wendy Scase; 7. Authority Mishtooni Bose; 8. Literary theory and literary roles Ian Johnson; 9. Metre and versification Ad Putter; 10. Dialogue Sarah James; 11. Romance Stephen H. A. Shepherd; 12. Love Corinne Saunders; 13. Chaucer and the classics Vincent Gillespie; 14. The French context Stephanie Kamath; 15. The Italian tradition K. P. Clarke; 16. The English context Marion Turner; 17. Chaucer's competitors Wendy Scase; 18. Boethius Tim William Machan; Part III. Humans, the World and Beyond: 19. Chaucer's God Ryan Perry; 20. Holiness Marlene Villalobos Hennessy; 21. Secularity Alastair Minnis; 22. The self Valerie Allen; 23. Women Rosalynn Voaden; 24. Sex and lust Bruce Holsinger; 25. Animals in Chaucer Gillian Rudd; Part IV. Culture, Learning and Disciplines: 26. Childhood and education Nicholas Orme; 27. Philosophy Stephen Penn; 28. The medieval universe Seb Falk; 29. Medicine and the mortal body Samantha Katz Seal; 30. The law Richard W. Ireland; 31. Art Julian Luxford; 32. Architecture Richard Fawcett; 33. Heraldry, heralds and Chaucer Katie Stevenson; Part V. Political and Social Contexts: 34. Dissent and orthodoxy John H. Arnold; 35. The Church, religion and culture Rob Lutton; 36. England at home and abroad Anne Curry; 37. Chaucer's borders Anthony Bale; 38. Rank and social orders Chris Given-Wilson; 39. Chivalry Craig Taylor; 40. Chaucer and the polity Gwylim Dodd; 41. The economy Christopher Dyer; 42. Towns, villages and the land Mark Bailey; 43. London's Chaucer: A psychogeography John J. Thompson; 44. Everyday life Wendy Childs; 45. Household and home Peter Fleming; 46. Marriage Sally Dixon-Smith; 47. Dress Laura F. Hodges; Part VI. Chaucer Traditions: 48. The first Chaucerians: reception in the 1400s Robert J. Meyer-Lee; 49. The reception of Chaucer in the Renaissance Alex Davis; 50. The Reception of Chaucer from Dryden to Wordsworth Bruce E. Graver; 51. The reception of Chaucer from the Victorians to the twenty-first century David Matthews; 52. Cyber-Chaucer Stephen Kelly.

'This is a breathtaking collection of essays in terms of scope and content, and one not easy to review in so few words … For anyone teaching Chaucer for the first time, at any level, this collection will be an indispensable resource. Even those who have taught Chaucer before have much to gain from it.' A. L. Kaufman, Choice