EN390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Proserpina, Geoffrey Chaucer
Document Summary
Garden enclosed in a stone wall no fairer garden anywhere. Going back to classical and biblical literature ideals of the perfect garden. Image example: party involving men and women (mix of sexes, well-dressed people, identifying nobility. Men typically more peacocky: bellies sticking out eroticised, all quite young, enclosed in the wall, dancing and love. Garden of love: attempt to contain it, organizing love. January being satirized in his sexual ability and size. Pluto and proserpina- pluto abducted, raped, and forced her to marry him: parallel to january and may- she wasn"t entirely on-board with this marriage. Voice of turtle heard in the land- from the bible. Step on his back to get to the tree: taking advantage of him: damien is the snake in the tree forbidden fruit in garden of eden. Switch up from female body to male body: pear and idea of pregnancy- scare from previous or soon to develop.
