Before starting the argument, it must be noted that while the House of Fame contains a great deal of subtext on Chaucer’s ideas on writing, much of this is revealed through reading between the lines. For readers not intimately familiar with Chaucer’s use of words, guidance is essential to reach the true meaning of this subtext. Therefore, it may be a crutch to understanding Chaucer’s ideas of authorship.
House of Fame gives modern readers insight into Chaucer’s opinion on authorship in two significant ways. Chaucer borrowed structures and plot segments from Classical and Italian auctores. Book 1 of House of Fame starts with a retelling of the Aeneid by Virgil. However, while the Aeneid takes Aeneas’ side upon his departure from Carthage,
