Chaucer and war

In Chaucer and War, John Pratt studies Chaucer's attitude toward the warfare of his age and how his major poetry reflects this attitude. Using biographical information, reliable fourteenth-century sources, and Chaucer's own writings, Pratt explores Chaucer's use of war through such works as the Knight's Tale, the Squire's Tale, and Troilus and Criseyde. Pratt gives an overview of the military picture during Chaucer's time, examines Chaucer's knowledge of military weapons and his use of this knowledge in his poetry, and evaluates the poetry based on references, word usage, and historical context among others. Pratt concludes that Chaucer, despite his English-Christian perspective, was a writer who knew a good deal about warfare on a global scale, and supported warfare when he felt the cause was just. A strikingly unique perspective from the current evaluations of Chaucer's work, Chaucer and War will be of value to students and scholars of Chaucer and medieval history and literature, as well as those with an interest in the Middle Ages.

John H. Pratt is a Professor of English at Centralia College in Centralia, WA.