CFP: The New Chaucer Society Conference
Twenty-second Biennial Congress
Durham, 12–16 July 2020

Why is Chaucer Not Taught in French Departments/France?
Jennifer Alberghini, Stephanie Grace-Petinos and Sara Rychtarik (jalberghini@gradcenter.cuny.edu; stephanie.grace.petinos@gmail.com; sararychtarik@me.com)

Members of English departments, particularly those who study Chaucer, are aware of the deep French influence on Medieval English literature. Scholars have, of necessity, familiarized themselves with the works of writers such as Marie de France, Eustache Deschamps and Guillaume de Machaut, and especially the Roman de la Rose. These texts are often taught in English classes. Yet the influence is often seen as unidirectional. Building on conversations initiated at Kalamazoo and in the 2018 Channeling Relations in Medieval England and France conference, this session seeks position papers that address questions including: Why is Chaucer not routinely taught in French departments? More broadly, why is Chaucer not taught in France (and possibly other European countries as well)? How can medievalists within French departments incorporate Chaucer effectively into their syllabi/class discussions?

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