Advisory Committee Chair
Kyle Grimes
Advisory Committee Members
Gale Temple
Daniel Siegel
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2015
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Throughout the course of his career William Wordsworth created four translations of Geoffrey Chaucer’s works. Although on the surface these translations appear to be nothing more than Wordsworth trying his hand at translating Chaucer, his compositions are far more complex. Within the body of all four of his Chaucer translations, Wordsworth makes changes to Chaucer’s language choices, spelling, the meter, and the poetic form so that his versions more closely resemble his own poetry. Additionally, he also adds extra content into his translations so that his works will sound more like his own poetry. By changing Chaucer’s texts in the above manner, Wordsworth has transformed each of his Chaucer translations into a work of Romantic Medievalism. Additionally, by changing his translations and making them sound more like his own poetic works, Wordsworth is using Chaucer’s authorial influence as a canonical English poet to attach his poetic identity to Chaucer’s poetic identity, thus legitimizing the emerging Romantic poetic form. Keywords: Wordsworth, Chaucer, Translations, Romantic, Medievalism
Recommended Citation
Landers, Rachel Lee, "“A Thrice Told Tale”: William Wordsworth’S Chaucer Translations As Works Of Romantic Medievalism" (2015). All ETDs from UAB. 2213.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/2213