Donald Trump’s non-ending falsehoods have sometimes been described as “gaslighting,” after the old Charles Boyer-Ingrid Bergman film. An early literary example of a gaslighter is Chaucer’s Wife of Bath, although her use of the tactic is far more justifiable.
Tag Archives: Geoffrey Chaucer
We Mooste Calle Him “Hende Donald”
Donald Trump’s self-admitted sexual assaults resemble those of the university student in Chaucer’s “Miller’s Tales.” Hende Nicholas, however, is far more respectful of his lady love.
With Brexit, UK Betrayed Spirit of Chaucer
Brexit violates everything that Geoffrey Chaucer, Britain’s quintessential poet, stood for.
The Wife of Bath & U.S. Race Wars
A racial flair-up at our college has given me an opportunity to stress the relevance of the Wife of Bath’s prologue and tale. Like our African American students, she too feels disrespected. One has to dig beneath her seeming confidence to realize how vulnerable she feels, however.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Confederate flag, microaggressions, racism, Wife of Bath Comments closed
The Most Commonly Taught Lit
The Open Syllabus project has come up with a list of the most commonly taught books in college–at least according to syllabi that are available on-line. “The Canterbury Tales” leads the list. Shakespeare, of course, is the most represented author.
The V-Word: Casting Hillary as Duessa
The rightwing attacks on female sexuality have a long tradition, going back to Pliny the Elder, and include Chaucer, Spenser, and Milton. Expect the tradition to continue if Hillary Clinton is elected president.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Canterbury Tales, Faerie Queene, Hillary Clinton, Merchant's Tale, misogyny, Wife of Bath, Wife of Bath's Prologue Comments closed
Chaucer’s Squire Meets Tennyson’s May Queen
Love is in the May air. As I look at the College students hand in hand, I think of the men as Chaucerian squires, the women as Tennysonian May queens.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged "May Queen", "May", Alfred Lord Tennyson, Canterbury Tales, maypole dances Comments closed
Old Lit as a Transformational Experience
The power of a “King Lear” passage is a refutation of Scott Walker’s attempt to redirect higher education to “work force needs.”
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged culture wars, King Lear, Ronald Reagan, Scott Walker, state university system, Wife of Bath, Williams Shakespeare Comments closed
