What happens in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules?

The Parlement of Foules is a 699-line dream-vision poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1380 and 1390. The poem centers on the myth that birds gather on St. Valentine’s Day to choose their mates.12

In the poem, the narrator falls asleep and dreams of a beautiful garden where the goddess Nature presides over a debate. Three high-ranking eagles compete for the attention of a beautiful female, while other birds—representing various segments of English society—express their opinions. Through this lively debate, Chaucer uses humor to satirize the tradition of courtly love and explores the value of different types of love in the context of common profit.12

While the poem is often associated with the 1382 marriage of Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, no such connection has been firmly established. The debate regarding love and marriage remains unresolved, and the narrator concludes the poem by noting that he must continue his search for answers in other books.12