Good Fun: Cecily Chaumpaigne and the Ethics of Chaucerian Obscenity

This essay examines the interplay between enjoyment of Chaucer’s obscene
humor (particularly in the Canterbury Tales) and scholarly interpretations of the most troubling episode from Chaucer’s life: Cecily Chaumpaigne’s accusations of raptus. It argues that, because scholars and readers are determined to protect their ability to enjoy Chaucer’s work freely, they often allow their views of Chaucer as a bawdy humorist to infiltrate their discussions of the Chaumpaigne case. Drawing on Sara Ahmed’s figure of the “feminist killjoy,” this essay concludes with the suggestion that we approach Chaucer’s work and biography with the willingness to think critically about our enjoyment of his work, and how it might affect our judgment of the poet himself.