Geoffrey Chaucer

June 5, 2017
Despite being promised an “introduction,” readers of Wallace’s overview of Geoffrey Chaucer should have at least some previous knowledge of the Middle English master’s life, work, and world before starting this enthusiastic but disjointed book. Wallace (Europe: A Literary History, 1348–1418), an English professor at the University of Pennsylvania, clearly has great affection and admiration for his subject, and he conveys that delight to the reader. He explores Chaucer’s role as a pioneer of English poetry, pushing English poetry from the dominant French and Italian models to a style tailored for the evolving English language. Wallace gives some biographical background for his subject and touches on various aspects of Chaucer’s world, focusing on how Chaucer responded to issues such as religion and the status of women. In a final chapter, he explores Chaucer’s influence on later authors, from Shakespeare up to the present. A helpful time line and bibliography for further study are valuable additions. In the end, some prior knowledge of Chaucer’s core canon (The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde) is likely necessary to fully appreciate Wallace’s arguments. To his credit, though, he does open up lines of inquiry for interested readers.