Wonder, Marvels, and Metaphor in the Squire’s Tale

With reference to Chaucer’s Squire’s Tale, this article argues that poetry appeals to marvels in order to highlight the similar imaginative work that poetry and marvels perform. It draws on medieval philosophical theories of marvels and metaphor to show that both pique the creative imagination by creating a rupture between what things are and what they seem. Inspiring wonder, marvels and metaphor also highlight the power of imaginative representation, which can account for an object’s force and impact better than strictly mimetic representation.