Narrative

Chaucer's narrative artistry derives from both medieval poetics and vernacular practice. Most of his works are rewritings that reconceive his sources through the procedures of invention and imitation. Formally, the narratives develop action and character through a variety of structural patterns – typically, distinct episodes marked by transitional devices – and transmit their stories through a narrative voice positioned ambiguously at the margin of the story. In addition, Chaucer's narratives are poetic works that foreground interpretation both as a literary device in their storytelling and as an effect of their craft.