An Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer

"Offers a welcome vade mecum to the Chaucer reader, whether a student or teacher. Impressively interweaving a lifetime of teaching Chaucer with a deep knowledge of his texts, Pugh compresses into one elegantly written, slim handbook the essential Chaucer. A college course in a book! And not a dull moment in it."--Jane Chance, author of The Literary Subversions of Medieval Women

"Offers clear synopses of the poet's entire corpus, an engaging description of Chaucer's life and times, a trenchant analysis of his sources, an engaging assessment of his relation to contemporary poets, and a provocative consideration of his subsequent influence upon English literature, including our own (post-) modern pop-culture. Pugh is particularly insightful regarding matters of genre and gender. His introduction to Chaucer serves as both a tight, bright manual for new students of Middle English as well as an excellent review text for all confirmed lovers of Chaucer."--William A. Quinn, author of Chaucer's Rehersynges

"Focusing on genre theory and contemporary cultural connections, Pugh has produced a fresh and stimulating introduction to Chaucer's oeuvre."--Kathleen Forni, author of The Chaucerian Apocrypha

"Always engaging and lucid, An Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer will help even beginners understand and appreciate the poet's writing."--David Raybin, coeditor of Chaucer: Contemporary Approaches

Geoffrey Chaucer is widely considered the father of English literature. This introduction begins with a review of his life and the cultural milieu of fourteenth-century England and then expands into analyses of such major works as The Parliament of Fowls, Troilus and Criseyde, and, of course, the Canterbury Tales, examining them alongside a selection of lesser-known verses.

Tison Pugh, professor of English at the University of Central Florida, is the author of several books, including Queering Medieval Genres.