Introduction of ENG 307: The Poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer, upon which the 2009 Alumni Studies course (Chaucer's Canterbury Tales) was based.  Presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Challenge of Chaucer

The history of the English language and attitudes towards reading in the Middle Ages, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The English Language in History

The literature that formed Chaucer's literary imagination and poetic career, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Chaucer’s Literary Education

The different approaches and techniques of literary study, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Some Chaucerian Techniques

Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy and Chaucer's The Book of the Duchess, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Consolation of Philosophy

Chaucer's idea for The Canterbury Tales as a collection of framed tales, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Idea of The Canterbury Tales

The ways in which The General Prologue establishes the foundation for his framed narratives in The Canterbury Tales, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The General Prologue

The first part of The Knight's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Knight’s Tale (i)

The second part of The Knight's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Knight’s Tale (ii)

The Miller's Tale, a comparison with The Knight's Tale, and the religious themes of this work, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Miller's Tale

This collection captures the in-class lectures of John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus in his final semester teaching his iconic undergraduate course on Geoffrey Chaucer, Fall 2005.

Introduction of the character of the Wife of Bath and an exploration of the themes of The Wife of Bath's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Wife of Bath (i)

Continuation of the analysis of the Wife of Bath, who had been introduced in the previous lesson on The Wife of Bath's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Wife of Bath (ii)

The themes of Christian and moral perfection in The Summoner's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Summoner

The character of the Friar and the different themes of The Friar's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Friar

The concept of a "franklin" in The Franklin's Tale and and accompanying tale analysis, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Franklin

The theme of sexuality  and its various interpretations in The Pardoner's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

The Pardoner

The moral lessons and major themes of The Nun's Priest's Tale, along with those of the Prologue in The Parson's Tale, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Nun’s Priest & Parson’s Prologue

The conclusion of The Canterbury Tales and a preparation for the reading of Troilus and Criseyde with a summary of its major themes, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Preparing for Troilus

The opening invocation and narrator of the epic poem, Troilus and Criseyde, and compares the work and its themes with The Canterbury Tales and other poems, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Troilus (i)

The second book of Troilus and Criseyde, presented by John Fleming *63, Louis W. Fairchild '24 Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus.

Troilus (ii)

Terrific lectures, but the recording quality is poor. In Troius iii, it becomes unlistenable. I suppose there is no better source material. This is a fine memory of a great teacher.

Recording Quality

Chaucer with John Fleming

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