The Book of the Duchess outline

1-43 Introduction; the Narrator’s sleeplessness and “siknesse”

44-220 Story of Ceyx and Alcyone (ultimately from Ovid)

221-269 Narrator’s mock-prayer to Juno

270-442 the dream begins

· 270-90 Narrator falls asleep

· 291-320 Singing birds wake him

· 321-343 the painted temple of glass (story of Troy & Romance of the Rose)

· 344-386 Octavian’s hunt begins

· 387-442 a puppy leads the Narrator to a grove full of animals

443-486 Narrator discovers the Man in Black and overhears his complaint

487-557 Narrator converses with the Man in Black and offers to help him with his sorrow

558-709 Man in Black describes his woe

· 616-709 the chess game with Fortune

710-748 “Don’t kill yourself over a lost chess piece,” says the Narrator

· 743-44 “Thou wost ful litel what thou menest” (1)

749-1041 Man in Black describes his devotion to Love and his beloved, White (named at 948)

· 805-847 Man in Black singles out White

· 848-960 he describes her beauty (effictio/blazon)

· 961-1041 he describes her many virtues

1042-1144 Narrator is kind of a jerk; Man in Black

· 1136 “Thou nost what thou menest” (2)

1145-1297 the Man in Black’s courtship of White

· 1175-80 his song

· 1236-57 White’s “no”

1298-1320 White is dead! End of hunt & Man in Black’s departure

· 1305 “Thou wost ful litel what thou menest,” as I have repeatedly said (3)

1321-34 Narrator wakes & intends to write his dream down