Chaucer's Host--Up-So-Doun by Dolores L. Cullen takes a fresh look at one of the oldest collections of stories and poetry, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer has been called the first short story writer in the English language. His is also one of the firstócertainly the most famous and perhaps the best of the firstópoets. In particular, his long poem/short story collection called The Canterbury Tales has entertained and enlightened readers in English for over six hundred years.

Like many enduring works of art, The Canterbury Tales has been subjected to new interpretations over the years. Important and respected scholars have dissected and discussed the tales from all sorts of perspectives. In Chaucerís Host, scholar Dolores Cullen offers something new in Chaucer studies. Quite simply, she posits a secret identity of Herry Bailly, the keeper of the Tabard, where the pilgrims are housed. It is he who guides the pilgrims and tale-tellers, who in fact sets the rules for their round-robin of storytelling. This man, known in the book as the Host, is the one character present throughout the book, acting as an emcee and providing continuity. And Cullen proposes convincingly that Chaucerís Host is none other than Jesus Christ, himself.

Her argument is supported in a number of ways. At the very basic level, the word "Host" had and has another meaning in religious terminology, namely the Eucharistic Host, the bread-made-divine-flesh. The Host in these tales performs a number of functions that parallel those of Christ: initially he provides sustenance, and then he acts as guide, as protector and sponsor, as arbitrator, as advocate, and as judge. 

The author also points out that for Christ to occupy the place of honor in the lives of all the pilgrims who represent a cross-section of the solvent society in those times is historically accurate. In fact, the Hosts secret identity may not have been such a secret to people of Chaucer's time, who were used to the omnipresence of God in society and also to word games and literary play.

But now the cat is out of the bag, and this book is sure to start a chase amongst Chaucer's readers. Chaucer's Host also has chapters dealing with the medieval world view and current events of Chaucer's time, and it contains extensive notes and a large bibliography.

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About the Author: Dolores Cullen first encountered Chaucer as a middle-aged college student. She received her B.A. in 1972 and her M.A. in 1978, both from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She lives and writes in Claremont, California. Contact Dolores Cullen!