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WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Trying to settle the question, “Shakespeare
vs. Chaucer: Who is More Important?”, two Wellesley
English professors, Kathryn Lynch and Yu Jin Ko, will hold
a “Battle of the Bards” Tuesday, Nov. 11, at
4:15 pm in Founders 120. A reception will follow the debate,
which is sponsored by the English Department and the Chaucer
Society. Lynch will defend Chaucer as the more important
literary figure. “Chaucer has long and widely been
known as ‘The Father of English Poetry.’ Chaucer’s
poetry was a major influence on Shakespeare’s oeuvre,
which can thus be seen as somewhat derivative,” she
said.
Ko takes Shakespeare’s part, saying, “It should
become clear that in sheer cultural reach, Shakespeare
surpasses any other writer, and not merely Chaucer.” He
compares this relationship to musicians who influence one
another, saying, “Muddy Waters may have given The
Rolling Stones their name and influenced their sound, but
the Stones made that sound their own and it, incommensurately
more than the blues sound of Muddy Waters, continues to
reverberate through all of rock and roll.” For more
information, call x2591.
Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing
an excellent liberal-arts education for women who will
make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near
Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all
50 states and 68 countries.
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