The Parliament of Birds
The Parliament of Birds

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer

Publisher: Hesperus Press

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13:

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In this collection of poems, among his very best, Chaucer showcases his lyrical skills to perfection. Verging from tragic to comic, the overriding theme of the poetry is love, in its many guises. Chaucer tells of his passion for reading, which allows him to eavesdrop on a "parliament of birds" on St Valentine's Day; he tells how he, as an inveterate reader, forsakes his books on the first of May to wander into the fields; he complains of being short of money; and he complains to his scribe for copying his verses badly. All in all, in the course of the poetry he reveals a lot about himself, and does so throughout in an engaging and civilized manner.

Two Early Renaissance Bird Poems
Two Early Renaissance Bird Poems

Author: Malcolm Andrew

Publisher: Associated University Presses

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9780918016737

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This volume presents annotated texts of two poems that have not appeared in a previous critical edition. They are specimens of noncourtly minor poetry; the bird convention which links them is formulaic rather than experimental, their mode is predictable, their outlook decidedly conventional. A publication of the Renaissance English Text Society.

The Paradox of Parliament
The Paradox of Parliament

Author: Jonathan Malloy

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2023-02-27

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 1487551002

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The Paradox of Parliament provides a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of Parliament in order to explain the paradoxical expectations placed on the institution. The book argues that Parliament labours under two different "logics" of its purpose and primary role: one based on governance and decision-making and one based on representation and voice. This produces a paradox that is common to many legislatures, but Canada and Canadians particularly struggle to recognize and reconcile the competing logics. In The Paradox of Parliament, Jonathan Malloy discusses the major aspects of Parliament through the lens of these two competing logics to explain the ongoing dissatisfaction with Parliament and perennial calls for parliamentary reform. It focuses on overarching analytical themes rather than exhaustive description. It centres people over procedure and theory, with strong emphasis given to dimensions of gender, race, and additional forms of diversity. Arguing for a holistic and realistic understanding of Parliament that recognizes and accepts that Parliament evolves and adapts, The Paradox of Parliament puts forward an important and novel interpretation of the many facets of Parliament in Canada.