Medieval Feminine Humanism and Geoffrey Chaucer's Presentation of the Anti-Cecilia

Perhaps due to its seemingly straightforward religious nature, the Second Nun's Cecelia Legend in The Canterbury Tales is often dismissed by scholars and readers alike. However, through analyzing Chaucer's earlier analogues, it becomes apparent that Chaucer has left out key pieces of the Life of Saint Cecelia. These omissions can be explained as attempts to illustrate the humanistic beliefs of both St. Augustine and Christine de Pizan. Further, the etymology of key words which appear in the "Second Nun's Prologue and Tale" help to reinforce the satire which Chaucer creates. Chaucer has deleted the humanism from the Saint Cecelia Legend in order to illustrate the potential for the corruption of female virtue.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year

2009

Author dc:creator

• Flewellyn, Meghan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Marti, Kevin
• Fitzpatrick, Barbara
• Gonzalez, Daniel

• Saint Cecelia
• the Second Nun
• The Canterbury Tales
• Augustinian humanism
• Chrstine de Pizan
• Geoffrey Chaucer

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/998

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-1979