Chaucer the Alchemist

The secrets of nature's alchemy captivated both the scientific and literary imagination of the Middle Ages. This book explores Chaucer's fascination with earth's mutability. Gabrovsky reveals that his poetry represents a major contribution to a medieval worldview centered on the philosophy of physics, astronomy, alchemy, and logic.

“This is a highly valuable and essential study for scholars interested in the depth and breadth of Chaucer’s sophisticated use of medieval science and philosophy, which takes our understanding of the philosophical poet to new heights.” (Shazia Jagot, Speculum, Vol. 95 (1), January, 2020)

“Alexander N. Gabrovsky’s book is an important study into the role of alchemy and transmutation in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and fourteenth-century scientific thought. … Gabrovsky provides important insights about the relationship between medieval alchemy and physics and how it affects the reading of medieval literature. … the book is especially useful for considering the role of alchemy and science in Chaucer’s works and its impact upon character development and the imagination.” (Curtis Runstedler, Ambix, Vol. 65 (04), September, 2018)

"Gabrovsky's insightful book contributes persuasive new evidence to support Chaucer's Renaissance reputation as a master-alchemist." - Terry Jones, author of Chaucer's Knight and Who Murdered Chaucer

"This is a wonderful and much needed book that responds to recent advances in the history of science and uses them to formulate some striking and provocative readings of Chaucer. Not only does Gabrovsky provide new evidence for the multi-dimensionality of the poet's learning, he also shows us the creativity with which that learning is deployed. Highlights of the book include the alchemical Franklin's Tale, Troilus 'the alembic,' and the discovery of organic decay as a unique sign of 'aliveness.'" - Nicolette Zeeman, Senior Lecturer in English Studies, University of Cambridge, UK

"This remarkable new study of Chaucer's writing is both exciting and impressively learned, informed by the author's knowledge of medieval science at its most complex. Chaucer is shown to be deeply engaged with the metaphysics of change and flux, drawing across his writings on alchemical theory, the science of sound and motion, and more abstract concepts of change related to actual and potential modes of being. Gabrovsky demonstrates persuasively the extent to which Chaucer's writing is imbued with (meta)physical theory, and offers original and sophisticated readings of the dream vision poems, Troilus and Criseyde and "The Franklin's Tale." Familiar texts are opened out and made new, an impressive feat in Chaucer scholarship, while the reader also gains considerable knowledge of medieval physics. The book is fundamentally about transformation: its effects will also be transformative for the reader and for Chaucer studies." - Corinne Saunders, Professor of Medieval Literature, University of Durham, UK

Alexander N. Gabrovsky holds a PhD in Medieval Literature from Cambridge University, UK and received an MD from VCU School of Medicine, USA. He specializes in alchemical manuscripts, paleopathology, and the history of occult and natural philosophy in the Middle Ages. He has published various journal articles related to disease in mummies, the medical field, history of art and medieval cryptography. He is a physician in Kansas City, USA.