Book contents
- Geoffrey Chaucer in Context
- Geoffrey Chaucer in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Contributors
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Chaucer as Context
- Part II Books, Discourse and Traditions
- Chapter 3 Chaucer’s Linguistic Invention
- Chapter 4 Chaucer and London English
- Chapter 5 Manuscripts and Manuscript Culture
- Chapter 6 Chaucer’s Books
- Chapter 7 Authority
- Chapter 8 Literary Theory and Literary Roles
- Chapter 9 Metre and Versification
- Chapter 10 Dialogue
- Chapter 11 Romance
- Chapter 12 Love
- Chapter 13 Chaucer and the Classics
- Chapter 14 The French Context
- Chapter 15 The Italian Tradition
- Chapter 16 The English Context
- Chapter 17 Chaucer’s Competitors
- Chapter 18 Boethius
- Part III Humans, the World and Beyond
- Part IV Culture, Learning and Disciplines
- Part V Political and Social Contexts
- Part VI Chaucer Traditions
- Further Reading
- Index
Chapter 9 - Metre and Versification
from Part II - Books, Discourse and Traditions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 June 2019
- Geoffrey Chaucer in Context
- Geoffrey Chaucer in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Contributors
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Chaucer as Context
- Part II Books, Discourse and Traditions
- Chapter 3 Chaucer’s Linguistic Invention
- Chapter 4 Chaucer and London English
- Chapter 5 Manuscripts and Manuscript Culture
- Chapter 6 Chaucer’s Books
- Chapter 7 Authority
- Chapter 8 Literary Theory and Literary Roles
- Chapter 9 Metre and Versification
- Chapter 10 Dialogue
- Chapter 11 Romance
- Chapter 12 Love
- Chapter 13 Chaucer and the Classics
- Chapter 14 The French Context
- Chapter 15 The Italian Tradition
- Chapter 16 The English Context
- Chapter 17 Chaucer’s Competitors
- Chapter 18 Boethius
- Part III Humans, the World and Beyond
- Part IV Culture, Learning and Disciplines
- Part V Political and Social Contexts
- Part VI Chaucer Traditions
- Further Reading
- Index
Summary
This chapter deals with the formal aspects of Chaucer’s verse craft. It discusses Chaucer’s mastery of rhyme and rhythm, and illustrates some of the stanza forms (rhyme royal, ballade, rondeau) that Chaucer deployed. It describes the metrical system behind both his octosyllabic lines and his pentameter lines, including the treatment of final e. Deviations from metrical norms, such as headless lines and enjambment, are discussed, but I argue that even perfectly regular iambic tetrameter and pentameter lines show variation, based on the degree to which linguistic stress approximates or modulates away from the metrical template. Particular attention is paid to Chaucer’s own comments about rhyme and the syllable count.
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- Geoffrey Chaucer in Context , pp. 72 - 82Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2019
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