Marion Turner Knihy

An acclaimed biography that recreates the cosmopolitan world in which a wine merchant's son became one of the most celebrated of all English writers Geoffrey Chaucer is often called the father of English literature, but this acclaimed biography reveals him as a great European writer and thinker. Uncovering important new information about Chaucer's travels, private life, and the circulation of his writings, Marion Turner reconstructs in unprecedented detail the cosmopolitan world of Chaucer's adventurous life, focusing on the places and spaces that fired his imagination. From the wharves of London to the frescoed chapels of Florence, the book recounts Chaucer's experiences as a prisoner of war in France, as a father visiting his daughter's nunnery, as a member of a chaotic Parliament, and as a diplomat in Milan. At the same time, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of Chaucer's writings. The result is a landmark biography and a fresh account of the extraordinary story of how a wine merchant's son became the poet of The Canterbury Tales.

From the award-winning biographer of Chaucer, this narrative explores the life of one of his most popular and scandalous characters, the Wife of Bath, from the Middle Ages to the #MeToo movement. Since her debut in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, she has captivated readers across centuries, influencing writers from Shakespeare to Zadie Smith. Few literary figures have experienced such vibrant reinvention in poetry, drama, fiction, and film. Marion Turner delves into the origins of the Wife of Bath, her connections to real medieval women, and her evolution over time. A sexually liberated and humorous working woman, she openly discusses sexual pleasure while also sharing her experiences as a victim of domestic abuse, recounting stories of rape and redemption. Turner juxtaposes Alison's fictional narrative with the lives of actual medieval women, such as a maid who traveled Europe and a duchess who married a teenager at sixty-five. The book also traces Alison's post-medieval journey, from seventeenth-century ballads to her reclamation by postcolonial Black British women writers. Entertaining and thought-provoking, this work offers a unique history of a literary and feminist icon who continues to inspire readers today.