Wisdom and Chivalry: Chaucer's Knight's Tale and Medieval Political Theory (Medieval and Renaissance Authors and Texts, 4)

Emeritus Professor of Medieval Social and Economic History Stephen Rigby

ISBN 10: 9004176241 / ISBN 13: 9789004176249

Published by Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2009

About this Item

xvi, 329 pages : 24cm. ex-library with stamp. no notes or highlighting. CONTENTS; Preface; Abbreviations in the Text and Notes; Introduction The 'Knight's Tale' in Context; i. The 'Knight's Tale': the Critical Debate; ii. Chaucer, Giles of Rome and Medieval Political Theory; PART I ETHICS: THE GOOD RULE OF THE SELF; Chapter One The 'Knight's Tale' as Ethics: the Aristotelian Virtues; Chapter Two The 'Knight's Tale' as Ethics: the Passions and the Ages of Man; PART II ECONOMICS AND POLITICS: THE GOOD RULE OF OTHERS; Chapter Three The 'Knight's Tale' as Economics: The Good Rule of the Household. Chapter Four The 'Knight's Tale' as Politics: The Good Rule of the Community PART III THE FIRST MOVER AND THE GOOD RULE OF THE COSMOS; Chapter Five The 'Knight's Tale' as Cosmography: The Good Rule of the Universe; Conclusion Chaucer: Literature, History and Ideology; Bibliography; Index.

Seller Inventory # 5jbew905

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Wisdom and Chivalry: Chaucer's Knight's Tale and Medieval Political Theory (Medieval and Renaissance Authors and Texts, 4)
• Publisher: Leiden ; Boston : Brill
• Publication Date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9004176241
• ISBN 13: 9789004176249
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Literature

About this title

Synopsis

The Knight's Tale is one of the most controversial of all the Canterbury Tales. Does Chaucer portray Theseus, the duke of Athens whose actions dominate the tale, as an ideal ruler, one who is noble, wise and chivalrous, or does the duke's behaviour reveal him to be immoral, self-seeking and tyrannical? This book (now in a corrected second printing) assesses the duke's conduct and thought in terms of the ideals set out in medieval mirrors for princes, particularly in Giles of Rome's De Regimine Principum. It argues that, when judged by the standards of these works, Theseus can be seen as a model prince in terms of his self-government ('ethics'), his rule of his household ('economics'), his governance of his realm ('politics) and his cosmography and philosophy.

About the Author

Stephen H. Rigby, Ph.D. (1983) in History, University of London, is Emeritus Professor of Medieval Social and Economic History. He has published extensively on medieval history and literature and on social theory including English Society in the Later Middle Ages and Chaucer in Context.