Chaucer coming in contact with Petrarch or Boccaccio
Encyclopedia
Contact between Geoffrey Chaucer
and Petrarch
or Boccaccio has been proposed by scholars for centuries. More recent scholarship tends to discount these earlier speculations because of lack of evidence. As Leonard Koff remarks, the story of their meeting is "a 'tydying' worthy of Chaucer himself."
One of the reasons for this belief is because of Chaucer's many trips to mainland Europe from England. Chaucer happened to be in the same areas at the same time as Petrarch and Boccaccio. Another reason is because of the influence of Petrarch's and Boccaccio's works on Chaucer's later literary works.
as Esquire of the King. During at least one of these trips it is possible that he met Petrarch
or Boccaccio or possibly both in Italy. Historian Donald Howard, Professor Walter William Skeat and Dr. Furnivall say there is good evidence to indicate that Chaucer met Petrarch at Arqua
or Padua
.
There are government records that show Chaucer was absent from England visiting Genoa
and Florence
from December 1372 until the middle of 1373. He went with Sir James de Provan and John de Mari, eminent merchants hired by the king, and some soldiers and servants. During this Italian business trip for the king to arrange for a settlement of Genoese merchants these scholars say it is likely that sometime in 1373 Chaucer made contact with Petrarch or Boccaccio.
or esquire
in June of 1367. Among his many jobs in this position he traveled to mainland Europe many times. On one of these trips in 1368 Chaucer may have attended the wedding which took place in Milan on 28 May or 5 June between Edward's son Prince Lionel of Antwerp
and Violante
, daughter of Galeazzo II Visconti
, Lord of Milan
.
The above scholars write that he was likely introduced to Petrarch at this wedding. Jean Froissart
was also in attendance and perhaps Boccaccio. They believe it plausible that Chaucer not only met Petrarch at this wedding but also Boccaccio. This view today, however, is far from universally accepted. William T. Rossiter, in his 2010 book on Chaucer and Petrarch argues that the key evidence supporting a visit to the continent in this year is a warrant permitting Chaucer to pass at Dover, dated 17 July. No destination is given, but even if this does represent a trip to Milan, he would have missed not only the wedding, but also Petrarch, who had returned to Pavia
on 3 July.
Biographers suggest that Chaucer very well could have met Petrarch personally, not only at the wedding of Violante in 1367, but also in Padua sometime in 1372-1373.
, was written shortly after Petrarch had made his version of Griselda. In some copies Petrarch's version of the story of Greselda has a date of "June 8, 1373," which indicates the date of supposed composition. Petrarch was so pleased with the story of Griselda ("De Patientia Griseldis") that he put it to memory. He wanted to repeat the virtuous story to his friends, perhaps including Chaucer. He eventually translated it into Latin, a common poetic language of the time (and a more prestigious language than the Italian vernacular). Therefore, scholars conclude that Chaucer and Petrarch met at Padua in 1373, probably the early part of the year. According to Skeat, evidence shows that Petrarch told Chaucer the story of Griselda from memory (though this may be speculation). Since both knew Italian and French, they might have communicated in either language or a combination of both these languages. It is evident that Chaucer obtained a copy of Petrarch's version written in Latin shortly after the meeting in Padua. Petrarch died July 19, 1374.
Chaucer translates the story of Griselda into English where it became part of The Canterbury Tales
as The Clerk's Tale. Scholars speculate that he wrote the main part of the Clerk's Tale in the later part of 1373 or the early part of 1374, shortly after his first trip to Italy in 1372-73. Chaucer gives much praise to Petrarch and his writings.
The "Originals and Analogues of some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales", reprinted and published for the Chaucer Society in 1875, assert that Chaucer personally met Petrarch. Many quotations are properly marked in the margins of the pages of the versions in the Ellesmere and Hengwrt manuscripts with each in the correct places. Scholars conclude that it is quite clear that Petrarch personally gave Chaucer a version of Griselda at Padua in 1373 (though this idea was proposed in the late 19th century, and more recent scholars are more skeptical of propositions that cannot be proven).
In the prologue to The Clerk's Tale, the narrator suggests that he met Petrarch:
However, this does not mean necessarily that Chaucer himself met Petrarch in the real world.
. This was a classical tradition of historiography dealing with famous men, which began with Plutarch's Parallel Lives
.
Chaucer's incipit reads: "Heer bigynneth the Monkes Tale De Casibus Virorum Illustrium." (Here begins the Monk's Tale "De Casibus Virorum Illustrium" - "On the Fates of Illustrious Men"). Many of the famous men that are in The Monk's Tale are also in Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium: Adam
, Sampson
, Hercules
, Cenobia
, Nero
, Alexander the Great, Croesus
. Some of these famous people also appear in Petrarch's De Viris Illustribus
. Chaucer, however, credits only Petrarch for this work:
Let them unto my mayster Petrark go, That writeth of this y-nough, I undertake. (Middle English)
Let him unto my master Petrarch go, Who wrote the whole of this, I undertake. (Modern English)
, is a condensed version of Boccaccio's Teseida. Chaucer tightens the structure of Boccaccio's Teseida, changes some scenes in the general plot, and deepens the philosophy of the original.
In The Knight's Tale, Arcite calls himself "Philostrate," an allusion to the title of Boccaccio's Filostrato. Chaucer thereby alludes to the fact that Filostrato and Teseida are from the same author - Boccaccio.
has similar features to Boccaccio's Decameron part 8,1. In Chaucer's The Merchant's Tale "January's" love-making can be attributed to Boccaccio's Comedia delle ninfe fiorentine. Chaucer's The Franklin's Tale draws on Boccaccio's Filocolo IV.31-4. Chaucer imitates Boccaccio's De casibus 8,6 of the character Zenobia in The Monk's Tale. The character Zenobia (a.k.a. Cenobia) Chaucer mistakenly credits to Petrarch (mentioned in his Triumph of Fame), whereas the character originally came from Boccaccio in his 106 list On Famous Women.
. Both works are of famed women, draw on classical mythology and history, are in chronological order, give a synopsis as an introduction, and are dedicated to a queen. Chaucer's "Cenobia" is borrowed from Boccaccio's Zenobia
of De mulieribus claris
. Chaucer also borrowed information of certain women from Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium
and Genealogia Deorum Gentilium
.
. Also there are likenesses between this work of Chaucer's and Boccaccio's Amorosa visione.
, Troilus's lament after he has fallen in love song imitates Petrarch's sonnet
s, S'amor non e, che dunque e quel ch' i' sento? ("if this be not love?") adapted from the Filostrato. Here Troilus's mode of thought is a Petrarchan combination of intelligent introspection, private emotion and scholastic logic. As far as scholars know, this is the first known adaptation of a Petrarch sonnet in English. Some believe that Troilus' later song (V.638-44) may imitate Petrarch's sonnet 189 ("My galley charged with forgetfulness").
Nevertheless, Howard argues that only inconceivable coincidences could permit that Chaucer had not known Boccaccio. The following coincidences would have to have taken place:
The more plausible scenario for Howard indicates that Chaucer personally met Boccaccio. Chaucer likely knew more Boccaccio works than scholars can prove. It is certain that Chaucer had access to Boccaccio's Filostrato and Teseida because of the quality of imitations in The House of Fame and Anelida and Arcite. The Knight's Tale uses Boccaccio's Teseida and the Filostrato is the major source of Troilus and Creseyde.
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
and Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
or Boccaccio has been proposed by scholars for centuries. More recent scholarship tends to discount these earlier speculations because of lack of evidence. As Leonard Koff remarks, the story of their meeting is "a 'tydying' worthy of Chaucer himself."
One of the reasons for this belief is because of Chaucer's many trips to mainland Europe from England. Chaucer happened to be in the same areas at the same time as Petrarch and Boccaccio. Another reason is because of the influence of Petrarch's and Boccaccio's works on Chaucer's later literary works.
Chaucer's trips to mainland Europe
Chaucer had made several trips to the mainland from England between 1367 and 1378 on the King's businessEdward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
as Esquire of the King. During at least one of these trips it is possible that he met Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
or Boccaccio or possibly both in Italy. Historian Donald Howard, Professor Walter William Skeat and Dr. Furnivall say there is good evidence to indicate that Chaucer met Petrarch at Arqua
Arquà Petrarca
Arquà Petrarca is a town and municipality in northeastern Italy, in the Veneto region, in the province of Padua.As of 2007 the estimated population of Arquà Petrarca was 1,835....
or Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
.
There are government records that show Chaucer was absent from England visiting Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
from December 1372 until the middle of 1373. He went with Sir James de Provan and John de Mari, eminent merchants hired by the king, and some soldiers and servants. During this Italian business trip for the king to arrange for a settlement of Genoese merchants these scholars say it is likely that sometime in 1373 Chaucer made contact with Petrarch or Boccaccio.
Milan 1368: The wedding of the Duke of Clarence and Violante Visconti
Chaucer became a member of the royal court of King Edward III as a valetValet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
or esquire
Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
in June of 1367. Among his many jobs in this position he traveled to mainland Europe many times. On one of these trips in 1368 Chaucer may have attended the wedding which took place in Milan on 28 May or 5 June between Edward's son Prince Lionel of Antwerp
Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence
Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Ulster and 5th Baron of Connaught, KG was the third son, but the second son to survive infancy, of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
and Violante
Violante Visconti
Violante Visconti was the second of three children of Galeazzo II Visconti, Lord of Milan and Pavia, and Bianca of Savoy. Her father gave to her the provinces of Alba, Mondovì, Kenites, Cherasco and Demonte as an inheritance...
, daughter of Galeazzo II Visconti
Galeazzo II Visconti
-External links:*...
, Lord of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
The above scholars write that he was likely introduced to Petrarch at this wedding. Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
was also in attendance and perhaps Boccaccio. They believe it plausible that Chaucer not only met Petrarch at this wedding but also Boccaccio. This view today, however, is far from universally accepted. William T. Rossiter, in his 2010 book on Chaucer and Petrarch argues that the key evidence supporting a visit to the continent in this year is a warrant permitting Chaucer to pass at Dover, dated 17 July. No destination is given, but even if this does represent a trip to Milan, he would have missed not only the wedding, but also Petrarch, who had returned to Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
on 3 July.
Biographers suggest that Chaucer very well could have met Petrarch personally, not only at the wedding of Violante in 1367, but also in Padua sometime in 1372-1373.
Griselda
Petrarch's letter to Boccaccio, forming a preface to the tale of GriseldaGriselda (folklore)
Griselda is a figure from certain folklores whose name is eponymous for patience and obedience.In the tale as written by Giovanni Boccaccio, Griselda marries Gualtieri, the Marquis of Saluzzo. He tests her by declaring that their first child—a daughter—must be put to death, likewise their second...
, was written shortly after Petrarch had made his version of Griselda. In some copies Petrarch's version of the story of Greselda has a date of "June 8, 1373," which indicates the date of supposed composition. Petrarch was so pleased with the story of Griselda ("De Patientia Griseldis") that he put it to memory. He wanted to repeat the virtuous story to his friends, perhaps including Chaucer. He eventually translated it into Latin, a common poetic language of the time (and a more prestigious language than the Italian vernacular). Therefore, scholars conclude that Chaucer and Petrarch met at Padua in 1373, probably the early part of the year. According to Skeat, evidence shows that Petrarch told Chaucer the story of Griselda from memory (though this may be speculation). Since both knew Italian and French, they might have communicated in either language or a combination of both these languages. It is evident that Chaucer obtained a copy of Petrarch's version written in Latin shortly after the meeting in Padua. Petrarch died July 19, 1374.
Chaucer translates the story of Griselda into English where it became part of The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
as The Clerk's Tale. Scholars speculate that he wrote the main part of the Clerk's Tale in the later part of 1373 or the early part of 1374, shortly after his first trip to Italy in 1372-73. Chaucer gives much praise to Petrarch and his writings.
The "Originals and Analogues of some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales", reprinted and published for the Chaucer Society in 1875, assert that Chaucer personally met Petrarch. Many quotations are properly marked in the margins of the pages of the versions in the Ellesmere and Hengwrt manuscripts with each in the correct places. Scholars conclude that it is quite clear that Petrarch personally gave Chaucer a version of Griselda at Padua in 1373 (though this idea was proposed in the late 19th century, and more recent scholars are more skeptical of propositions that cannot be proven).
Influence of Petrarch's and Boccaccio's works
Chaucer produced works with much Italian influence after his Italian trip of 1372, whereas works written before his travel demonstrate French influence. Chaucer's stories imitate, among others, his Italian contemporaries Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. For example, Boccaccio first put out his stories of Decameron; then Chaucer imitated many of these stories for his Canterbury Tales.The Clerk's Tale
Boccaccio wrote the story of Griselda, which was later translated by Petrarch. Biographers say Chaucer heard it from Petrarch first by word of mouth at Padua. Later he received a Latin copy of it that he used to develop The Clerk's Tale. Many passages of The Clerk's Tale are nearly word for word of Petrarch's Latin version of Griselda.In the prologue to The Clerk's Tale, the narrator suggests that he met Petrarch:
However, this does not mean necessarily that Chaucer himself met Petrarch in the real world.
The Monk's Tale
Chaucer's Monk's Tale may also be based on Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum IllustriumDe Casibus Virorum Illustrium
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium is a work of 56 biographies in Latin prose composed by the Florentine poet Giovanni Boccaccio of Certaldo in the form of moral stories of the falls of famous people, similar to his work of 106 biographies On Famous Women.-Overview:De Casibus is an encyclopedia of...
. This was a classical tradition of historiography dealing with famous men, which began with Plutarch's Parallel Lives
Parallel Lives
Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, commonly called Parallel Lives or Plutarch's Lives, is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in tandem to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, written in the late 1st century...
.
Chaucer's incipit reads: "Heer bigynneth the Monkes Tale De Casibus Virorum Illustrium." (Here begins the Monk's Tale "De Casibus Virorum Illustrium" - "On the Fates of Illustrious Men"). Many of the famous men that are in The Monk's Tale are also in Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium: Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
, Sampson
Sampson
-Astronomy:* Sampson , a small impact crater near the central part of the Mare Imbrium on the Moon-Literature:* Samson, the figure in the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible* Sampson, a character in the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare...
, Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
, Cenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
, Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
, Alexander the Great, Croesus
Croesus
Croesus was the king of Lydia from 560 to 547 BC until his defeat by the Persians. The fall of Croesus made a profound impact on the Hellenes, providing a fixed point in their calendar. "By the fifth century at least," J.A.S...
. Some of these famous people also appear in Petrarch's De Viris Illustribus
De Viris Illustribus (Petrarch)
De viris illustribus is an unfinished collection of biographies, written in Latin, by the 14th century Italian author Francesco Petrarca. These biographies are a set of Lives similar in idea to Plutarch's Parallel Lives. The works were unfinished however he was famous enough for these and other...
. Chaucer, however, credits only Petrarch for this work:
Let them unto my mayster Petrark go, That writeth of this y-nough, I undertake. (Middle English)
Let him unto my master Petrarch go, Who wrote the whole of this, I undertake. (Modern English)
The Knight's Tale
Some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are based on Boccaccio's works. For example, Chaucer's first of theses tales, The Knight's TaleThe Knight's Tale
"The Knight's Tale" is the first tale from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The story introduces many typical aspects of knighthood such as courtly love and ethical dilemmas. The story is written in iambic pentameter end-rhymed couplets.-Story:...
, is a condensed version of Boccaccio's Teseida. Chaucer tightens the structure of Boccaccio's Teseida, changes some scenes in the general plot, and deepens the philosophy of the original.
In The Knight's Tale, Arcite calls himself "Philostrate," an allusion to the title of Boccaccio's Filostrato. Chaucer thereby alludes to the fact that Filostrato and Teseida are from the same author - Boccaccio.
Other Canterbury Tales
Chaucer's Shipman's TaleThe Shipman's Tale
The Shipman's Tale is one of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.It is in the form of a fabliau and tells the story of a miserly merchant, his avaricious wife and her lover, a wily monk...
has similar features to Boccaccio's Decameron part 8,1. In Chaucer's The Merchant's Tale "January's" love-making can be attributed to Boccaccio's Comedia delle ninfe fiorentine. Chaucer's The Franklin's Tale draws on Boccaccio's Filocolo IV.31-4. Chaucer imitates Boccaccio's De casibus 8,6 of the character Zenobia in The Monk's Tale. The character Zenobia (a.k.a. Cenobia) Chaucer mistakenly credits to Petrarch (mentioned in his Triumph of Fame), whereas the character originally came from Boccaccio in his 106 list On Famous Women.
The Legend of Good Women
Chaucer followed the general plan of Boccaccio's work On Famous Women in The Legend of Good WomenThe Legend of Good Women
The Legend of Good Women is a poem in the form of a dream vision by Geoffrey Chaucer.The poem is the third longest of Chaucer’s works, after The Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde and is possibly the first significant work in English to use the iambic pentameter or decasyllabic couplets...
. Both works are of famed women, draw on classical mythology and history, are in chronological order, give a synopsis as an introduction, and are dedicated to a queen. Chaucer's "Cenobia" is borrowed from Boccaccio's Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
of De mulieribus claris
De mulieribus claris
De mulieribus claris is a collection of biographies of historical and mythological women by the Florentine author Giovanni Boccaccio, first published in 1374. It is notable as the first collection devoted exclusively to biographies of women in Western literature...
. Chaucer also borrowed information of certain women from Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium is a work of 56 biographies in Latin prose composed by the Florentine poet Giovanni Boccaccio of Certaldo in the form of moral stories of the falls of famous people, similar to his work of 106 biographies On Famous Women.-Overview:De Casibus is an encyclopedia of...
and Genealogia Deorum Gentilium
Genealogia Deorum Gentilium
Genealogia deorum gentilium, known in English as On the Genealogy of the Gods of the Gentiles, is a mythography or encyclopedic compilation of the tangled family relationships of the classical pantheons of Ancient Greece and Rome, written in Latin prose from 1360 onwards by the Italian author and...
.
House of Fame
Chaucer's House of Fame was probably begun in 1374; considered one of his greatest works, it has much Italian influence. This work shows the Italian influence on Chaucer after being in Florence in 1373 and returning to Milan in 1378. Chaucer claims that "Lollius" was the source for the House of Fame, when in fact it came straight from Boccaccio's Il FilostratoIl Filostrato
Il Filostrato is a poem by the Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio, and the inspiration for Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde and, through Chaucer, the Shakespeare play Troilus and Cressida...
. Also there are likenesses between this work of Chaucer's and Boccaccio's Amorosa visione.
Troilus and Criseyde
In Chaucer's Troilus and CriseydeTroilus and Criseyde
Troilus and Criseyde is a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer which re-tells in Middle English the tragic story of the lovers Troilus and Criseyde set against a backdrop of war in the Siege of Troy. It was composed using rime royale and probably completed during the mid 1380s. Many Chaucer scholars regard it...
, Troilus's lament after he has fallen in love song imitates Petrarch's sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
s, S'amor non e, che dunque e quel ch' i' sento? ("if this be not love?") adapted from the Filostrato. Here Troilus's mode of thought is a Petrarchan combination of intelligent introspection, private emotion and scholastic logic. As far as scholars know, this is the first known adaptation of a Petrarch sonnet in English. Some believe that Troilus' later song (V.638-44) may imitate Petrarch's sonnet 189 ("My galley charged with forgetfulness").
Alternate viewpoints
Other historians assert that while Chaucer was on mainland Europe in 1372-73 and it could have been possible that he met Petrarch or Boccaccio, it is unlikely because of their different social statuses. Most however, agree, that whether Chaucer ever met Petrarch or Boccaccio, he was heavily influenced by their works.Nevertheless, Howard argues that only inconceivable coincidences could permit that Chaucer had not known Boccaccio. The following coincidences would have to have taken place:
- By serendipity two or three of Boccaccio's works would have to have fallen into the hands of Chaucer and he just happened to have made adaptations of them.
- A few other of Boccaccio's works by serendipity would have to have fallen into Chaucer's hands and he quoted from them.
- Chaucer would have to have, by chance, imitated several of Boccaccio's works, like Decameron.
- Chaucer was in Florence when Boccaccio was there at the same time, however something would have to have prevented the two great poets from meeting each other.
- Chaucer knew the famous Visconti family, as did Boccaccio, however a meeting between the two would have to have been precluded despite this high-profile mutual connection.
The more plausible scenario for Howard indicates that Chaucer personally met Boccaccio. Chaucer likely knew more Boccaccio works than scholars can prove. It is certain that Chaucer had access to Boccaccio's Filostrato and Teseida because of the quality of imitations in The House of Fame and Anelida and Arcite. The Knight's Tale uses Boccaccio's Teseida and the Filostrato is the major source of Troilus and Creseyde.
Sources
- American Society for the Extension of University Teaching, The Citizen, Volume 3, American Society for the Extension of University Teaching, 1898, University of Michigan
- Bell, G. & Sons, 1912, The age of Chaucer (1346–1400), p. 152, Indiana University
- Brown, Peter, A companion to Chaucer, pp. 454–456, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002, ISBN 0631235906
- Chambers, Robert, Cyclopaedia of English literature: a selection of the choicest productions of English authors from the earliest to the present time, World Publishing House, 1875, from HUPHarvard University PressHarvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
- Chaucer, Geoffrey, The works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Publisher Macmillan, 1898, Harvard University
- Crow, Martin M. et al., Chaucer Life-records, Clarendon Press, 1966. It includes materials such as receipts for his travels in Italy, copies of commissions, etc.
- Edmunds, Edward William, Chaucer & his poetry, Volume 26 of Poetry & life series, p. 50, C.G. Harrap & Company, 1914
- Garnett, Richard, English literature : an illustrated record, Heinemann, 1906, from University of Michigan
- Gosse, Edmund, English literature : an illustrated record, p. 137, Heinemann, 1906. University of Michigan
- Hammond, Eleanor Prescott, Chaucer: a bibliographical manual, p. 306, The Macmillan Company, 1908
- Hunt, Leigh, Leigh Hunt's London journal, Volumes 1-2, C. Knight, 1834
- Hutton, Edward, Giovanni Boccaccio: a biographical study, J. Lane, 1910, University of California
- James Clarke & Co., The literary world, Volume 21, 1880, p. 251, Princeton University
- Jenks, Tudor, In the days of Chaucer, p. 144, A. S. Barnes & company, 1904, Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University, Modern language notes, Volume 12 No. 1, Johns Hopkins Press, 1897
- Jusserand, J.J., The Twentieth century, Volume 39, The Nineteenth Century and After, 1896, pp. 993–1005, detailed analysis of Chaucer coming in contact with Petrarch in 1373. UOMUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
- Koff, Leonard Michael. "Introduction." The Decameron and the Canterbury Tales: New Essays on an Old Question. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2000.
- Langer, William Leonard, An encyclopedia of world history, ancient, medieval and modern ..., Volume 1, p. 267, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1948
- Lee, Sir Sidney, Dictionary of national biography, p. 230, Smith, Elder, 1903, Original from Harvard University
- Rutherford, Mildred Lewis, French authors: a hand-book of French literature , p. 39, The Franklin Printing and Publishing Company, 1906, Princeton University
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