Chaucer's Fortune, Boethius and The Consolation of Philosophy, and the Concept of Fortune in the Middle Ages

Please read and study the following materials:

• Selections from Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy on "Fortune." It is in your packet "Chaucer -- Short Poems, Introductory Materials.pdf", on Canvas. It is also available on the web, here).
  Read these selections over very carefully -- they are very fundamental for us.
• and Jim O'Donnell's "Life of Boethius" page, from U. Penn.
• Finally, read and study Chaucer's poem "Fortune". This too is available in your packet "Chaucer -- Short Poems, Introductory Materials.pdf".

Take any two stanzas from Chaucer's poem, and write a paraphrase of them, line for line, in fluent English. Use as many words as you like. Check for grammar, spelling. Write in a good, readable style.

Email to me by 8 p.m. the evening before class.

This assignment challenges your ability (a) to translate; (b) to understand the ideas. Try hard!