chaucer

– Expose and satirize the social vices, including religious abuses

(2) The first important realistic writer
– Present a comprehensive realistic picture of the English society
– Introduce the rhymed stanzas of various types to
English poetry (e.g. heroic couplet)
– Develop his art of poetry – Master of the English language

4. Major Works
(5) Two kinds of love, voice, motivation: earthly love, divine love (6) Structure: generality to specification; secular to religion (7) Compare Chaucer’s opening with that of Eliot’s in The Waste Land

3. The General Prologue
– Occasion – Time
– Sketches of the pilgrims
– Purpose – Motivation – Satire

4. The Opening Lines (1) Cycles of time
– 4 seasons of a year




5. Five specific methods of characterization in the Prologue
– Radix trait. Focus on a central characteristic (the Knight is worthy; the Yeoman is a forester) – Touchstone line. A line that pinpoints the essence of the character (the Knight was a “true, a perfect gentle-knight”; the Squire was “as fresh as is the month of May”)
– Five ideals Chaucer treats seriously (Knight, Squire, Clerk, Parson, Plowman) – Some he pokes fun at (Prioress, Monk, Wife of Bath)
– Some he is quiet about; short portraits with personal view coming through (Prioress’s entourage) – Some not very good; Chaucer is just a little negative (Shipman, Manciple) – Hardened sinners, all of them religious officials (Friar, Pardoner, Summoner)
– Conscious use of hyperbole, usually used to create bias (Man of Law knew all the cases in the book, the Friar the best beggar in his order) – Disparate (incongruous) detail, particularly used on the “bad guys” (mention of the Cook’s ulcer interrupts discussion of wonderful dishes he can prepare)
– Glimpse of the spiritual, interior person through physical description; outward, physical blemishes suggest inner blemishes (the Cook has a running sore; the Wife of Bath has “gap teeth”)
– Guildsmen (Haberdasher, Dyer, etc.)
– Laborer (Plowman)
The prioress
The Wife of Bath
The Knight
The Oxford Clerk
Chaucer

The pilgrims fall into several groups according to Chaucer’s attitude toward them.
– 4 parts of a day
– 4 phases of the moon
– 4 stages of man

(2) Connotations of Spring
– Rebirth or revival of nature (biological, erotic) – Reawakening of super-nature (religious)
– Create a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life – Explore the theme of the individual's relation to the society

(3) “Father” of English poetry

2. Pilgrims
– Upper class (Knight, Squire, church people)
– Learned professions (Physician, Man of Law) – Landed gentry (Franklin) – Medieval manor people (Miller, Reeve) – Mercantile class (Shipman, Merchant)
– The Romaunt of the Rose 《玫瑰罗曼史》 – Troilus and Criseyde 《特罗勒斯和科丽西德》 – The Canterbury Tales《坎特伯雷故事集》
Great Contributions


Introduced French Romance and legends as well as Italian Human literature,especially Boccaccio, praising man’s energy,intellect， quick wit and the love for life. Found the English literary language,the basis of which was formed by the London dialect ; Realistic writing style and mild satire; Heroic couplet:2 lines of poetry ,one following the other, that are of equal length.
The Canterbury Tales

It opens with a general prologue where we are told of a company of 32 pilgrims , who gathered at Tabard Inn in Southwark, a suburb of London.They are on their way to the shrine of St.Thomas Becket at Canterbury.They set out together with the jolly innkeeper, Harry Baily,who proposed that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two more on the way back.But , totally only 24 tales are finished.The pilgrims are from various parts of England ,representatives of all walks of life and social groups, knights,monks,widows and priest ect.His work showed a strikingly brilliant and picturesque panorama of his time and his country.


Artistic Features
(1) Messenger of Humanism
– Affirm man's right to pursue earthly happiness – Praise man's energy, intellect, quick wit and love of life
Life and Career

By 1366 he had married Philippa Roet, who was probably the sister of John of Gaunt's third wife; she was a lady-inwaiting to Edward III's queen. During the years 1370 to 1378, Chaucer was frequently employed on diplomatic missions to the Continent, visiting Italy in 1372–73 and in 1378. From 1374 on he held a number of official positions, among them comptroller of customs on furs, skins, and hides for the port of London (1374–86) and clerk of the king's works (1389–91). The official date of Chaucer's death is Oct. 25, 1400. He was the first to be buried with honor in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.

(3) Natural force (to mellow vegetation, stimulate birds and animals, stir up hearts of men)
பைடு நூலகம்
(4) Religious force (to waken man’s piety, winter solstice, spring equinox)
Geoffrey Chaucer 杰弗里.乔叟 (1340?-1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer
Life and Career

The known facts of Chaucer's life are fragmentary and are based almost entirely on official records. He was born in London between 1340 and 1344, the son of John Chaucer, a vintner. In 1357 he was a page in the household of Prince Lionel, later duke of Clarence, whom he served for many years. In 1359–60 he was with the army of Edward III in France, where he was captured by the French but ransomed.