These essays, in a second collection by Professor Kelly, investigate legal and religious subjects touching on the age and places in which Geoffrey Chaucer lived and wrote, especially as reflected in the more contemporary sections of "The Canterbury Tales". Topics include the canon law of incest (consanguinity, affinity, spiritual kinship), the prosecution of sexual offences and regulation of prostitution (especially in 'The Stews of Southwark'), legal opinions about wife-beating, and the laws of nature concerning gender distinction (focusing on Chaucer's "Pardoner") and the technicalities of castration. Sacramental and devotional practices are discussed, especially dealing with confession and penitence and the Mass. Chaucer's "Prioress" serves as the starting point for a treatment of regulations of nuns in medieval England and also for the presence, real and virtual, of Jews and Saracens (Muslims and pagans) in England and conversion efforts of the time, as well as sympathetic or antipathetic attitudes towards non-Christians. Included is a case study on the legend of St Cecilia in Chaucer and elsewhere, and as patron of music; and, a discussion of canonistic opinion on the licit limits of medicinal magic (in connection with the ministrations of John the Carpenter in "The Miller's Tale")

lgrsnf/Law and Religion in Chaucer's England.pdf

Ashgate Publishing Limited

Gower Publishing Ltd

The Hakluyt Society

Variorum collected studies series, CS957, Farnham, cop. 2010

Taylor & Francis (Unlimited), Oxford, 2010

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

Cover
Series
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Introduction
Acknowledgements
A SEX/GENDER
I Shades of incest and cuckoldry: Pandarus and John of Gaunt
II Bishop, prioress, and bawd in the Stews of Southwark
III Medieval laws and views on wife-beating
IV The Pardoner’s voice, disjunctive narrative, and
B THE SACRAMENTS
V Sacraments, sacramentals, and lay piety in Chaucer’s
VI Penitential theology and law at the turn of the fifteenth centuiy
C NON-CHRISTIANS AND ENGLAND
VII Jews and Saracens in Chaucer’s England: a review of the evidence
VIII “The Prioress’s Tale” in context: good and bad reports of non-Christians in fourteenth-century England
IX Chaucer’s Knight and the northern “crusades”: the example of Henry Bolingbroke
D CASE STUDIES
X A neo-revisionist look at Chaucer’s nuns
XI How Cecilia came to be a saint and patron (matron?) of music
XII Canon law and Chaucer on licit and illicit magic
Addenda and corrigenda
Index

A Sex/gender. Shades Of Incest And Cuckoldry : Pandarus And John Of Gaunt ; Bishop, Prioress, And Bawd In The Stews Of Southwark ; Medieval Laws And Views On Wife-beating ; The Pardoner's Voice, Disjunctive Narrative, And Modes Of Effemination -- The Sacraments. Sacraments, Sacramentals, And Lay Piety In Chaucer's England ; Penitential Theology And Law At The Turn Of The Fifteenth Century -- Non-christians And England. Jews And Saracens In Chaucer's England : A Review Of The Evidence ; The Prioress's Tale In Context : God And Bad Reports Of Non-christians In Fourteenth-century England ; Chaucer's Knight And The Northern Crusades : The Example Of Henry Bolingbroke -- Case Studies. A Neo-revisionist Look At Chaucer's Nuns ; How Cecilia Came To Be A Saint And Patron (matron?) Of Music ; Canon Law And Chaucer On Licit And Illicit Magic. Henry Ansgar Kelly. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

2024-09-19