The Book of the Duchess

[2] Overwhelming (if disputed) evidence suggests that Chaucer wrote the poem to commemorate the death of Blanche of Lancaster, wife of John of Gaunt.

[3] At the beginning of the poem, the sleepless poet, who has suffered from an unexplained sickness for eight years (line 37), lies in his bed, reading a book.

The story tells of how Ceyx lost his life at sea, and how Alcyone, his wife, mourned his absence.

The poet dreams that he wakes in a chamber with windows of stained glass depictions of the tale of Troy and walls painted with the story of The Romance of the Rose.

The poet stumbles upon a clearing and finds a knight dressed in black composing a song for the death of his lady.

The poet takes the message literally and begs the black knight not to become upset over a game of chess.

The poet, still not understanding the metaphorical chess game, asks the black knight to finish the story and explain what was lost.

Opening title of The Dreame of Chaucer , commonly referred to as The Book of the Duchess , Geoffrey Chaucer 's first own work, which was written probably between 1368 and 1372; published 1532 in the first collected edition of Chaucer's works, edited by William Thynne