Chaucer's women : nuns, wives, and Amazons

In this challenging study Priscilla Martin investigates the subjects of women, sex and gender in Chaucer's poetry. She argues convincingly that these are Chaucer's major subjects and that he presents them as an area of human experience fraught with problems. Women, instead of producing texts and meanings themselves, are trapped in the books and meanings of others, and so the Madonna and the courtly heroine, the nun and the wife, are familiar but questionable images of constructed femininity. ' ... an intelligent, sensitive, fresh and close reading which focuses upon Chaucer's women ... unconventional and subtle' - John J. McGavin, Times Higher Education Supplement Front Matter....Pages i-xvi The Man with the Book, or ‘Who Painted the Lion?’....Pages 1-13 Two Ideals: The Dame and the Duchess....Pages 14-29 Two Misfits: The Nun and the Wife....Pages 30-39 The Amazon and the Wise Woman, or ‘God Knows What She Thought’....Pages 40-65 The Merchandise of Love: Winners and Wasters....Pages 66-83 The Merchandise of Love: Wives and Merchants....Pages 84-105 Real Women in Imaginary Gardens....Pages 106-130 The Saints....Pages 131-155 Criseyde....Pages 156-188 The Women in the Books....Pages 189-217 Sex, Discourse and Silence....Pages 218-230 Back Matter....Pages 231-254 1. The Man With The Book, Or 'who Painted The Lion?' -- 2. Two Ideals: The Dame And The Duchess -- 3. Two Misfits: The Nun And The Wife -- 4. The Amazon And The Wise Woman, Or 'god Knows What She Thought' -- 5. The Merchandise Of Love: Winners And Wasters -- 6. The Merchandise Of Love: Wives And Merchants -- 7. Real Women In Imaginary Gardens -- 8. The Saints -- 9. Criseyde -- 10. The Women In The Books -- 11. Sex, Discourse And Silence. Priscilla Martin. Reprinted (with Alterations) 1996. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A feminist study of women, sex and gender in Chaucer's poetry. The author argues that these are Chaucer's major subjects and that he sees them as areas fraught with problems.