When profs turn biblical

Scene I: First Sem MA English Literature. The first session of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

The class was very quiet and a little apprehensive having been warned many times by the seniors about the brilliant prof who handles the subject. He seemed innocuous enough, as he introduced himself, and we drew a collective deep breath, signifying relief. And then he began:

Chaucer, you will find, he said, is like God's peace. And he picked up the book and started to read. As only three students in that class latched on to the allusion, and since Chaucer, did, for the most part, pass all understanding, there were many hours that semester when we found ourselves wishing for a run-of-the-mill average professor teaching us some run-of-the-mill average text. It was not to be.