r. F Page Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, November 6, 1970 PQge Six THE MICHIGAN DAILY F ridoy, November 6, 1970 To create a Chaucer By BETH OBERFELDER, One Friday, last September, Professor Tom Garbaty, rushed out of his "Chaucer" class to board a 727 which landed in Norman, Oklahoma. A car was waiting for him at the airport which he drove to the Univer- sity of Oklahoma where he met the 36 other scholars from Eu- rope and America with whom he would be working during for the next 10-15 years. Together those who met at the confer- ence expect to produce the ma- jor Chaucerian work of the cen- tury. The invitation which Gar- baty received last May from Paul Ruggiers, the initiator of this program, read, "the time is ripe for an undertaking of this !magnitude particularly one that has the whole hearted support of the community of Chaucer scholars. It may well be that such a cumulative edition of the Works of Chaucer may consti-\ tute the major contribution of the wentieth century to Chaucer studies." Garbaty, representing the University of Michigan, is anxious to begin work on the variorum, he said to his class, "We're both, we're teachers and scholars, I get as much a kick in this class as I do there. .." Presently "there" is working on the C h a u c e r Variorum, whether in Oklahoma or in the grad-library stacks. A variorum is a composite of fasicles done on all of aspecific author's works. In the past, variorums have covered great writers as Shakespeare and Spencer. Chau-' cer's Variorum will one volume of commentary on each Can, terbury Tale, on Troilus and Cresida, and on his poems. Each scholar present at the confer- ence has selected a specific work which will receive his devout at- tention during the next 10 to 15 years. The individual fasicles will be published upon comple- tion, and the final edition is expected to appear in 1985 . . pending financial aid. By No- vember 15, they should be 95 per cent sure of being backed by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Under the auspices of the University of Michigan, Tom Garbaty will be working here on "Sir Topaz." This tale is one which Chaucer, himself, tells in falaweshipe to the pilgrimes "That toword Caunterbury wol- den ride." For his volume in the Variorum Edition of Chaucer, Garbaty will be calling on all criticisms of "Sir Topaz." He says it is frightening to imagine trying to cover all commentary without offending anyone, for example, the scholar in India- whose work he may not discover. The professor will be aided in this mammoth research project by his grad-seminar next se- mester.- Feeling this will be a very promising contribution to the literary world, Garbaty said, "As a student I never knew any of this went on-this real be- hind the scenes stuff." Along this same line of work, professors here at the University have been working on a Middle English Dictionary (just try reading The Canterbury Tales for the first time without a translation - then think how nice a dictionary would be!). rriorurm Alas, it is only half finished and is presently residing on the fifth floor of Haven Hall. Perhaps with the completion of this dic- tionary, the Medieval literary world will become more access- able to more people. Work in the esoteric fields often seems dull and 'ivory tow- er' to those not involved in it. But Garbaty's interest in Chau- cer makes his work in the vario- rum particulary envigorating to him, while the final creation will hold long reaching influence to the students of Chaucer, both dilettantes and serious. 'U For the Student Body: " Levi's - Denim - Bush Jeans $10 CHECKMATE State Street at Liberty ADIDAS BASKETBALL SHOES (#oe. S rt f HAROLD S. TRICK Z cvmaa or own p4 t t anwat.ct' ow t I C'.. UEN 4 _ e0 Daily Official Bulletin FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6 DayCalendar Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures and Center for Co- ordination of Ancient and M o d e r n Studies - Holderlin Bicentennial Syns- posiumn - Multipurpose Room, Un- dergraduate Library, 9:00 a.m. Physics and Astronomy Lecture - Chia-wei Wop, University of Illinois, "The Method of Correlated.Basis Func- tions for Helium",. P e A Colloquium Room, 12.:ni. Department of Astronomy Lecture'- Dr. George Collins II, 'Oio State Uni- versity,*Evid4enefor Uftreme Rot- tion and Early Type Stars": P & A Col- 1Pquium Room, 4:00 p.m. Cinema 'Guild: Unfaithfully Yours, Architecture' Auditorium, '7:00 a n d 9:05 p.m. Soph Show: Can-Can: Lydia.Men- delsohn Theatre, 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. International Folk Dance - Barbour Gym, 7:30 p.m. Joint Concert: U-M and University of Illinois Men's' Glee Clubs: Willis Pat- terson and William Olsen, conductors: Hill Auditorium,' 8:00 p.m. Degree 'Recital: Julia Giacobassi, oboe: School of Music Recital Hall, 8:00 p.m. University Players (Department of (Continued on Page 7) "a O I C C lothes are a reflection of tine. Your tine, your generation should be reflected in your wardrobe. Paraphernalia is designed, manufactured, wholesaled, and retailed by your contenporaries. s";4 . . All the Great Show Tunes and Movie Sound Tracks con be heard and enjoyed on Long Playing Records. 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