Chaucer and the culture of dissent

The Lollard context and subtext of the Parson's Tale

Frances McCormack

This book investigates the links between Chaucer’s Parson’s Tale and Lollard discourse and ideas. From the moment the Parson is introduced in the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales suggestions of Lollardy surround him. Chaucer therefore invites (or even dares) his reader to go in search of Lollard codes in the Parson’s Tale.

This book balances a literary and historical approach to reading Chaucer’s Parson’s Tale. Here, Frances McCormack considers the evidence of Chaucer’s connection to the movement and analyzes the similarities between the Parson’s language and Lollard sect vocabulary. She investigates whether Chaucer made use of a Wycliffite version of the Bible in writing the tale, and considers whether the Parson expounds any points of Lollard doctrine.

Frances McCormack is a lecturer at NUI, Galway.