Description
Geoffrey Chaucer might be considered the quintessential English writer, but he drew much of his inspiration and material from Italy. Without the tremendous influences of Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio, the author of The Canterbury Tales might never have assumed his place as the 'father' of English literature. Nevertheless, Richard Owen's Chaucer's Italy begins in London, where the poet dealt with Italian merchants in his roles as court diplomat and customs official, before his involvement in arranging the marriage of King Edward III's son Lionel in Milan and diplomatic missions to Genoa and Florence. Scrutinising his encounters with Petrarch, Boccaccio, and the mercenary knight John Hawkwood, Owen reveals the deep influence of Italy's people and towns on Chaucer's poems and stories. Much writing on Chaucer depicts a misleadingly parochial figure, but, as Owen's enlightening short study of Chaucer's Italian years makes clear, the poet's life was internationally eventful. The consequences have made the English canon what it is today.
About the Author
Richard Owen was The Times Rome correspondent for fifteen years. He has written several works of non-fiction, including Crisis in the Kremlin and, with Haus, DH Lawrence in Italy and Hemingway in Italy.
Reviews
'Very readable and well-paced - covers an amazing amount of ground.' Marion Turner, author of Chaucer: A European Life 'A fascinating insight into Chaucer's world.' Mary Hollingsworth, author of Princes of the Renaissance 'Richard Owen performs the remarkable feat of showing us Italy through Chaucer's eyes. It's a wonderful evocation of the vibrant intellectual, commercial, and cross-cultural exchanges at the height of the Middle Ages - and the perfect read for a getaway break to Florence, Genoa, or Milan.' Ross King, author of The Bookseller of Florence 'Inherently interesting, deftly written, impressively organised and presented.' Midwest Book Review
Book Information
ISBN 9781914982040
Author Richard Owen
Format Paperback
Page Count 216
Imprint Armchair Traveller
Publisher Haus Publishing
About the Author
Richard Owen was The Times Rome correspondent for fifteen years. He has written several works of non-fiction, including Crisis in the Kremlin and, with Haus, DH Lawrence in Italy and Hemingway in Italy.
Reviews
'Very readable and well-paced - covers an amazing amount of ground.' Marion Turner, author of Chaucer: A European Life 'A fascinating insight into Chaucer's world.' Mary Hollingsworth, author of Princes of the Renaissance 'Richard Owen performs the remarkable feat of showing us Italy through Chaucer's eyes. It's a wonderful evocation of the vibrant intellectual, commercial, and cross-cultural exchanges at the height of the Middle Ages - and the perfect read for a getaway break to Florence, Genoa, or Milan.' Ross King, author of The Bookseller of Florence 'Inherently interesting, deftly written, impressively organised and presented.' Midwest Book Review
Book Information
ISBN 9781914982040
Author Richard Owen
Format Paperback
Page Count 216
Imprint Armchair Traveller
Publisher Haus Publishing
