Class Assignment
Characteristics of the Age of chaucer
1. Introduction
Age of chaucer is one of the most important periods in English literary history. This era was marked by significant change in society ,politics, region , and literature, and is known as a time of transition, where medieval traditions were giving way to new, modern ideas.
1.1 An Ear of Transition:
The age of chaucer was a time of great change the old ways of medieval world were slowly begin replaced by modern thoughts and ideas. This was the period when John Wycliffe and his followers began challenging the church, which lead the foundation for reformation. People begin focusing more on individualism the idea that individuals and their thoughts were important. At the same time military conflicts like the hundred years wars were increasing National pride and unity. Industrial development such as the growth of towns and trade, was the creating a middle and working class, which contributed to the end of the feudal system where the peasants worked under lords.
1.2 Growth of the National Sentiment:
During this time England was fighting in the Hundred years wars against France and Scotland. Victorians in major battles like Crecy and poitiers gives people a sense of national pride. English man big game feeling more United and proud of their country. This period also saw the end of the divide between the Normans and Saxons, which had existed since the Norman conquest in 1066. The shared victorians a national pride during this time helped to create a stronger sense of English identity.
1.3 the Black Death, Famine, and Social Unrest:
This period was also mad by natural disaster and social unrest. In 1348-49, the black death and devastating plague ,wiped out one third of England populations. It was an epoch of natural calamities which increased the suffering of the common people. It reappeared in 1362, 1367 and 1370. The plague reappeared several time in the following decades along with the famines, which worsened the lives of the common people. The shortage of labour due to the death to toll led higher taxes, which angered the people and contributed to the peasants 'Revolt of 1381. This revolt was a clear sign of the growing dissatisfaction and unrest among the working class.
1.4 Corruption of the Church and the Reformation:
The church was incredible powerful during chaucer 's time, but it had become corrupt. Many Church officials where more interested in wealth, luxury, and Worldly pleasures than in serving people or maintaining religion purity. This corruption lead to criticism from reformers like John Wycliffe, who called what changes in the church. He said paved the way for the reformation ,a major religious movement that aimed to correct the abuse of the church.
Chaucer 's writing often satirized corrupt Church officials, highlighting how far they had strayed from their spiritual duties. His famous work , 'The Canterbury Tales ' , Paints realistic picture of the clergy and their worldly behaviour.
1.5 The Dawn of New Learning ( The Renaissance Influence)
Alter Renaissance has not yet fully arrived in England, the seeds of new learning where been planted. This was a time when people begin to question old Idea and explore new way of thinking. Writers like Petrarch and Boccaccio in Italy inspired people with their humanistic idea, which focused on the value of human being, diet thoughts, and their potential. This Spirits of humanism slowly began to spread in England, challenging the dominance of the church in education and thought . People were starting to break free from strict religious teaching, opening of the path for Renaissance, which wood letter sweep across Europe.
Home Assignment
An Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer and 'The Canterbury Tales ' :
Introduction:
The most important writer of the Middle English Period without whom any discussion of Middle English Poetry become absolutely insignificant is Geoffrey Chaucer. He is undoubtedly that poet of the Middle English Period in whose capable and confident hands both English language and literature attained maturity. His range, complexity, humorous tone, essentially humane outlook and technical brilliance placed him much above the other poets of the times. This acquaintance with European literature enabled him to deal in English with themes and atitude prevalent in Europeans literature. He was a keen observer of human nature and portrayed with a balance between sympathy and irony. His training in courtly and diplomatic lifestyle helped him to present diversity character in his words with utmost convention.
His employment in diverse forms of public and civil services and his journeys abroad on the business of the King give him the opportunity to come a close different kinds of people ranging from aristocracy to the lowest segment of the society. His journeys to the France and Italy particularly significant because this helped the him to be an acquialent with Italian literature, especially the work of Dante and Boccaccio.During his seconds voyage to Italy he meet Barnabo Visconti,Lord of Milan, who's that is the subject matter of one stanza in the Monk's Tale .
Points To Remember
Chaucer 's literary career can be divided into three periods:
1.French period
2.Italian period
3.English period
French period
Geoffrey Chaucer was very interested in France culture which can be understood because his spend a lot of time with people from the royal court ,Government ,and aristocracy, where France was the preferred language.Chaucer was influenced by a popular French literary tradition call the" Rose" tradition, and he admired France poets like Deschamps and Froissart . This early phase is of his writing is known as his "French period". One of his major words from his time is "The Romaunt of the Rose", which is an allegorical poem . However, only a fragment of it remains. Chaucer 's work was inspired by the French original 'Le Romaunt de le Rose ,'but he translated only part of it .
The poem is in the form of a dream. It's a vision of a dream strolled by the side of a river one of fine may morning and enjoy this sweet melodies songs of but the blossom of flowers the crazy worms of the place and weather. It is the season of the love when the both human humans and the animal choose their partners. The dreamers seems reflection of the delightful garden particularly a rose booms around surrounded by hedge but exuding intoxication fragrance. The dreamers eyes are fixed on one particular bud which is beautiful . Fragment are coming to an end here.
Italian Period:
Chaucer Italian stage shows great progress compared to his earlier French period . During this time he developed better writing skill, deeper insights , and more originally. To important work from this period are' Anelida and Arcite' and 'The parliament of Foules' . 'Anelida and Arcite' is incomplete and after writing about 3000 lines, Chaucer seems to have left it unfinished. However the" complaint " of Anelida, with its perfect balance of strophe and antistrophe , is considered one of the most beautiful example of this style in middle English literature even though only a fragment of it survives . In this period he was influenced by many writer like Dante, Petrarch, Bocaccio .
Points To Remember Italian Periods
Some of the important works of this period are:
1.The Parliament of Foules
2. The House of Fame
3. Troilus and Criseyde
4. The Legend of Good Women
English period
Chaucer 's English stage is considered his most successful period during which he wrote one of the greatest work in English literature"The Canterbury Tales" . Chaucer was inspired by the Italian writer Bocaccio,but he adapted the idea with his own English style. The story is about 29 pilgrims who are travelling to visit the tomb of the Thomas Becket tent in Canterbury. On their ways to stop it Tabard Inn in Southwark and tell stories to pass the time. Chaucer uses his sharp observational skill and deep understanding of human nature to create character from all levels of society from the noble ke night to the simple polwman . This allows him to mix his literary knowledge with his ability to portrait realistic character. The 'General Prologue ' introduce the setting and characters and is filled with humour,irony and fresh ideas. Although 'The Canterbury Tales ' is unfinished it shows Chaucer brilliance and more details about this work .
Essay
Summary of Canterbury Tale
The Canterbury Tales start with a prologue that fames or sets the stage for the tell that follows. Ring has come and with it and increase in pilgrims travel to centerbury to visit shrine of the martyred saint Thomas Becket . A group of pilgrims assemble at the Tabard Inn ,a man named Harry Bailey , joins the company on the pilgrims as does a pilgrim name chaucer . Harry Bailey suggest a tale telling competition to help us the time on the long road and the company agree.
With the expectation of chaucer and Harry Bailey none of the other pilgrim and named. Instead they are identified by the role. The knight tells the first tale . Herie accounts a long story about two knight who fall in love with the same women. The man fights for her and one wins her . However ,he soon dies and the other knight marry her instead
The Miller decide to tell the next story. It is a funny crude story about an old carpenter has a young wife. Two young man fall in love with her, and she conspire with one of them to meet for sex . On the night they meet, the other young man comes to her window, and in the dark he is tricked into kissing her bare behind. Most of the pilgrims enjoy this comical story, but the Reeve ,a carpenter is offended,so he pays the Miller. In this story two students decide to make sure this dishonest miller does not steal any of the garin as it is being ground . In another middle - of -the -night mix up , one of the students has sex with the miller 's daughter,and the other has sex with the miller 's wife .
Next the cook begins to tell a story of young appreciation with a weakness for gambling, but the story remains unfinished. Harry Bailey, nothing that the day is getting on ,call on the man of the law , who then tells a story about constance, daughter of the Roman emperor. She endure many hard hardship , but her people are converted to Christianity, and her son became emperor. The wife of the bath then the company about her five husband before beginning a story about a knight who sentenced to death for rape. To avoid this fate ,the knight must go on a quest to find the answer to a seemingly simple question: What do women want?
After the wife of Bath ends her tale ,the friar tells a story about a dishonest summoner ,who makes a deal with a fiend from hell and ends up being taken there . The summoner is enraged by the tale and tells two crude stories one short and one long about the treachery of friars.
To calm everyone down, Harry Bailey then asks the clerk to tell a more light-hearted story. The clerk 's story focuses on a wife of unending patience and obedience to her husband. In response to this,the Merchant tells a story about an unfaithful young wife . Harry Bailey then called on the squire ,who begin story about a beautiful young women who choose magic ring allows her to understand the speech of animal. History is cut short by Franklin who interrupts to wonder at the beauty of the squire story telling skills . Rather than allowing the squire story to be completed, Harry Bailey ask the Franklin to tell his story. The Franklin tales about a faithful wife who is nearly but not quite tricked into unfaithfulness.
Next the physician tells a tell about beautiful young women which choose between death and dishonor . It is such a tragic story that Harry Bailey calls on the pardoner for a happier one. The pardoner tell a story about three young man who meet death and this is followed by shipment tale of merchant whose wife has an affair with a monk. 10th prisoners tell of a young boy who sings, miraculously after he dead .
Chaucer is called upon next, and after Harry Bailey interrupts his first tale because it rhymes are terrible Chaucer tells story that is more of a long argument about weather Revenge should be taken to repay a violence act. The monk then tells a long string of short stories about how powerful people are brought low , and this followed by a fable about a rooster and a fox told by the Nun's Priest. The second Nun tell the story of saints Cecilia,a Christian Martyr .
The company of pilgrims meet two more traveler on the road and one yeoman, tells a story about a treacherous Alchemist o trick priest into giving him money. Next the Manciple tells a tale about and unfaithful wife and a talking crow. After this instead of a story a parson give a sermon about sin and forgiveness . Finally chaucer Apologizes for his work and ask forgiveness of anyone who is often by his tales.
References: https://mseffie.com/assignments/canterbury_tales/Teacher%20Guides/Canterbury%20Tales%20SG%20Course%20Hero.pdf