alone adj.

  alone 
TR1.92 Nŏw háddĕ Cálkăs léft ĭn thís mĕscháuncĕ,
TR1.93 Ál ŭnwíst ŏf thĭs fálse ănd wíkkĕd dédĕ,
TR1.94 Hĭs dóughtĕr, whích thăt wás ĭn grét pĕnáuncĕ,
TR1.95 Fŏr óf hĭre líf shĕ wás fŭl sóre ĭn drédĕ,
TR1.96 Ăs shé thăt nýstĕ whát wăs bést tŏ rédĕ;
TR1.97 Fŏr bóthe ă wídĕwe wás shĕ ánd ăllónĕ
TR1.98 Ŏf ány̆ frénd tŏ whóm shĕ dórste hĭr mónĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): Calchas had left behind his daughter, who suffered a great deal: she feared dreadfully for her life, not knowing what was the best advice, for she was both a widow and alone, without any friend to whom she dared to bemoan her sorrow.
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): さて、カルカスは、自分の娘にこの不実でよこしまな行為をまったく知らせずに、娘をこの騒ぎの中に残して去ってしまった。大変な苦しみに陥った娘の方はどうすればよいか分からなかったので、身の危険を感じながらひっそりと暮らしていた。何しろ彼女は未亡人であり、思い切ってこの悲しみを打ち明ける友だちもおらず、独りぼっちだったからである。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 卡尔卡斯闯下这场祸来，没有料到他的恶行连累了他的女儿，她被遗留城中，眼见得众怒难犯，忧虑性命不保，真不知如何是好；因她即是孀居，又是独宿，那敢向任何人倾诉衷曲。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Narrator
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 1.11)
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (she: Criseyde)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 1b. (a) Without companions, kindred, or competitors; solitary, lonely, deserted; alone; ~ of kin (frend), without kin (friends); him ~, by himself; hirself ~, to herself; ~ as he was born, utterly alone; (s.v. al-ōn(e, adv. & adj.)
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 7): allone Of: without
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

Without companions, kindred, or competitors; solitary, lonely, deserted; alone

Comments from the Editor

This quoted scene also appears in Fil.1.11. Both Boccaccio and Chaucer take a similar tone, but the latter deliberately highlights Criseyde’s isolation. The term “allone” is a composite of “all + one”;” thus, “ăllónĕ Ŏf ány̆ frénd tŏ whóm shĕ dórste hĭr mónĕ” echoes with “Ál ŭnwíst ŏf thĭs fálse ănd wíkkĕd dédĕ.” This iteration stresses Criseyde’s innocence, discloses her miserable condition, and also reveals Chaucer’s sympathy toward his female protagonist.