The House of Fame, a dream-poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer, was influenced by an Italian narrative poem written by which of the following writers?

Correct option is D

Explanation:

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The House of Fame (1379–1380) is a medieval dream-vision poem that was heavily influenced by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy (particularly Inferno and Purgatorio). Chaucer was deeply inspired by Dante’s use of allegory, dream vision, and his journey through the afterlife, which he adapted into his own poetic style.
In The House of Fame, the narrator, much like Dante’s Pilgrim, embarks on a dreamlike journey guided by an eagle instead of Dante’s Virgil. The poem explores themes of fame, fortune, and the transient nature of human achievements, reflecting similar moral and philosophical ideas found in Dante’s work.

Information Booster:

Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) – An Italian poet and philosopher, best known for The Divine Comedy, which describes a journey through Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Heaven).

Chaucer's The House of Fame follows the tradition of medieval dream-vision poetry, similar to Dante’s allegorical journey in The Divine Comedy.

Chaucer's guide in The House of Fame is a giant golden eagle, a figure reminiscent of Dante’s symbolic creatures in his journey through the afterlife.

Both Chaucer and Dante promoted vernacular literature, making complex themes accessible to a wider audience (Middle English for Chaucer, Tuscan Italian for Dante).

The House of Fame critiques the fleeting nature of human reputation, similar to Dante’s critique of worldly vanity in Inferno.

Chaucer visited Italy in the 1370s, where he encountered works by Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, shaping his poetic style.

Additional Knowledge:

Niccolò Machiavelli – A Renaissance political philosopher (1469–1527), famous for The Prince.
Miguel de Cervantes – A Spanish writer (1547–1616), known for Don Quixote.
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) – A 14th-century Italian poet, known for his sonnets and humanist works.