SECTION - A (POETRY) A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF 14" CENTURY ENGLAND In the History of English Literature, the period ranging from 1343 to 1450 is commonly known as the Age of Chaucer. There were a lot of social as well as political changes that took place in England during this time period. But despite the great social and intellectual movements of this age, there were signs of poverty, revolt and unrest too. The Church was losing its hold as the sole moral authority and was being criticized for corruption and superstitions. The middle class was gaining more strength as a social class. A gradual shift from the age of Medievalism to the age of Modernism can be noted here. Another important event was the Black Death or plague which affected almost a third of the country’s population. This resulted in shortage of labourers and therefore gave existing laborers the power to bargain for better wages which developed a kind of resentment in the higher and noble classes. This indirectly paved the path to the Peasant’s Revolt which is the rising of the English peasantry in the year 1381. This age also saw the emergence of the Standard English language. The East Midland dialect was accepted as the standardized form of English. And this is the dialect that Chaucer uses in “The Canterbury Tales”. This Age witnessed the birth of English poetry and the most noted poets of this age were Chaucer, John Gower and William Langland.GEOFFREY CHAUCER Chaucer was born to a wealthy family of merchants in London sometime around 1343-45, Chaucer was captured and made prisoner by the French during the Hundred Years War, but then he was released soon on ransom. He went on to become an esquire at the King’s court. He served as a spy being an esquire and therefore had to travel to Italy and France where he probably came in touch with European poetry which later influenced his writing. He held many different official positions. For the purpose of convenience, his works have been divided into three periods, the French, the Italian and the English. During the French period (until 1372), Chaucer first translated the famous 13" century encyclopedia — Le Roman de La Rose. The next work which belongs to this period is The Book of the Duchess or The Death of Blanche (1369). The next is the Italian period (1372-85), during which his works were basically modeled on Dante and Boccaccio. To this period belong The Parliament of Fowles, The House of Fame, Troilus and Crisyde and The Legend of Good Women. It was during the English period (1358-1400) that he wrote The Canterbury Tales, which turned out to be one of the greatest poems of all of English literature. Chaucer is generally considered as the ‘father of English poetry’ and Edward Albert called him “the earliest of the great moderns”. He has also been called “The Morning Star of Renaissance” as he stands during the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern age. 9ENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18” Century When taking into account Chaucer's style of writing, it must be remembered that Chaucer wrote English at a time when this language was in a poor state of development. This was a time when French was the language used in courts and by the upper classes. The church used Latin and English was spoken mostly by uneducated or illiterate common people. When contemporaries like Gower preferred to write in Latin, Chaucer chose the dialect of his native land. He also enriched his language by adopting words from French. Chaucer is also the first poet to be buried in the poet’s corner of Westminster Abbey. THE CANTERBURY TALES Geoffrey Chaucer wrote “The Canterbury Tales” over the course of about thirteen years, from 1387 until his death in 1400. It is quite a long text in which some parts are written in verse and some in prose. “The Canterbury Tales” is a collection of stories by Geoffrey Chaucer and is considered as his masterpiece. Though Chaucer never makes direct reference to Boccaccio, he probably got much of his source material from Boccaccio’s “Decameron”. “Decameron” is also a series of linked stories that are structured almost like Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”. Now apart from the high literary standard of “The Canterbury Tales”, the work also stands as a historical as well as sociological introduction to the life and times of the late Middle Ages. Written in Middle English, the original Prologue to the Tales may be difficult to comprehend and hence an interlinear translation of the first 100 lines has been provided below: i aSe SRE YS PEE EAE ARE E IN SEe SAN EEL Site A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL PROLOGUE The Prologue holds all the tales in “The Canterbury Tales” together. The Prologue begins with a description of the Spring season. The April rains wet the ground and the roots hidden deep inside the soil absorbs this powerful liquid that lends life to its flowers. The sun shines down on these new plants and birds sing. People also are in the mood to go on pilgrimages, especially to the Canterbury Cathedral. The Canterbury Cathedral is where the martyr, Thomas Becket’s relics are kept. The poet himself is one of the pilgrims and he is residing at the Tabard Inn in Southwark before undertaking the journey to Canterbury. Around 29 other pilgrims also arrive at the Inn and Chaucer decides to join their company. The 29 pilgrims coming up in the Tale are Chaucer himself, the Knight, the Squire, the Canon and the canon’s Yeoman, the Prioress, the Monk, the Friar, the Merchant, the Sergeant of the Law, the Franklin, the Wife of Bath, the Reeve, the Pardoner, the Host, the Carpenter, the Franklin, the Cook, the Parson, the Plowman, the Miller, the Shipman, the Physician, the Nun’s Priest, the Second Nun, the Manciple, the Clerk, the Summoner and the Parson. He introduces each of these pilgrims describing their physical appearance as well as profession and social standing. —eeeeeeNFeENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18" Century After introducing his fellow pilgrims, he tums his attention on the host, Harry Bailey. Harry Bailey is described by the poet as a plump and bright-eyed man who finds a liking for the pilgrims and thus decides to join them to Canterbury. In order to make the journey more fun and quicker, he decides that each pilgrim must narrate two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. He will judge which of them is the best and reward them with a free meal at the Inn upon returning. All the pilgrims accept the competition and they draw lots to decide who will be first to narrate the story. The Knight gets the first lot and he begins his story cheerfully. The General Prologue is often referred to as a portrait gallery of the 14" C because it seems to be a precise portrait of an entire nation taking into account the different manners and humors of the whole English nation of Chaucer’s Age. The Prologue therefore appears more like a commentary on English life in the Middle Ages. The thirty pilgrims Chaucer describes in the Prologue belong to different classes and strata’s of the society. The Prologue acquaints the readers with the food, the hobbies and even the clothes worn by persons of different ranks, positions and professions. Due to the Peasant Revolt, a new middle class comprising of educated workers like lawyers, merchants and clerks were beginning to gain power and Chaucer himself was a member of this emerging new middle class. The Canterbury Tales both depict and also satirize or mock at the conventions of the 14" Century. The weaknesses or flaws of the 14 century monks and nuns are amusingly displayed in the General Prologue. Chaucer also portraysENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18" Century church officials who have a love for material things like money, love etc. And so with this realistic depiction of the society of his times, Chaucer holds the mirror up to his times in “The Canterbury Tales”. EXPLANATION LINES 1 TO 42 The speaker opens the General Prologue by describing the retum of spring. He narrates how the April rains drench the roots which are hidden beneath the soil. This rain water is described by Chaucer as a powerful liquid that helps leaves and flowers bloom and grow rapidly. The sun has gone through the second half of the zodiac sign, Aries, the ‘Ram’. This blooming Spring season is also the time when people long to go on pilgrimages, and travellers from across England choose to travel to Canterbury Cathedral to seek help from the blessed martyr, Thomas Becket, whose ruins are at Canterbury Cathedral. They undertake this pilgrimage also in order to thank the martyr for having helped them in times of need. The narrator says that once while he was preparing to undertake such a pilgrimage, he stayed at the Tabard Inn before beginning his journey. A group of twenty-nine other pilgrims who were also heading to Canterbury entered the Inn. These pilgrims were a group of different people and when the narrator expressed his will to join them, they happily agreed. Meanwhile before the journey begins, the speaker decides to describe the profession, social standing and clothing (physical appearance) of each of these twenty-nine pilgrims. It is with theENG1C01 - ish Literature from Chaucer to 18" Century Knight that the poet decides to start describing first. LINES 43 TO 78 The speaker describes the Knight as a noble man who loves chivalry and is always ready to stand up for truth and honour. He has an outstanding reputation and was considered as a generous as well as courteous person. The Knight has travelled through many pagan territories like Alexandria, Prussia, Morocco, Lithuania etc. and he has been victorious as well in all these places. In all the three duels he had undertaken, he had won and killed his enemy. Hence, he is someone who is praised universally for his courage. It was out of his love for God that the Knight undertook such bold and daring feats and for attaining glory or fame. His dressing is also described as plain or modest and stained from his recent explorations. LINES 79 TO 100 The speaker next describes the Knight’s son who is a Squire. The Squire is described by the poet as a lively, young and lusty night in training who is depicted as both a ‘lover’ and a ‘bachelor’. He has curled hair, is of a moderate height and is quite quick in movement. He has participated in chivalric expeditions in Flanders and Northern France. The Squire fights in hope of impressing ladies and winning over their hearts. Unlike his father, he was in his prime youth and therefore always quite extravagantly and beautifully dressed in embroidered clothes. He is always found singing or playing the flute all day. The Squire knew how to carry himself elegantly even while sitting on a horse or while riding. He was capable ofENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18” Century inventing songs and dances and also knows to love women passionately that most nights he slept very little. Like his father, he too was a courteous person and was always willing to serve at the table or carve his father’s meat for him. ANALYSIS The Prologue serves as an introduction to the large framework of stories that comprise “The Canterbury Tales”. The entire work is united by the framework of the story -telling competition that is introduced in the General Prologue. It also helps in introducing the 29 pilgrims who are going to narrate stories in the rest of “The Canterbury Tales” and is therefore often considered as an extended ‘dramatis personae’ for the collection of tales. Chaucer taking up the role of both narrator as well as pilgrim lends a personal note and a perspective that seems to be born from direct witnessing. At the same time, we readers must also be aware that his descriptions of the other pilgrims are based on his personal opinions and views of them rather than an accurate and objective one. St. Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury (1162-70). His career was marked with a long quarrel with King Henry II and he was finally murdered in 1170 by King Henry’s knights. A few days after his death itself his tomb became a place of pilgrimage and he was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1173. In those days, Canterbury was a popular pilgrimage place also because it was not that difficult to reach or access. In 14th Century England, it was therefore a popular ritual to visit the Canterbury Cathedral where the remains of the Saint Thomas Becket lay.ENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18" Century The General Prologue consists of 858 lines in total which Chaucer uses to portray characters from almost all the social classes of England back then. The beginning of the General Prologue is a lot more formal and lengthier when compared to the rest of the Prologue but it helps the poet to clearly define the time and place of the upcoming story. These lines have such a romantic quality to it that we, readers, hardly ever expect the rest of the story to be something that is even remotely connected with a pilgrimage. This physical setting is also one of the motivations for pilgrims to set out on their pilgrim as the season is so fine and comfortable. The opening lines convey a sort of erotic or sexual energy with the use of terms like “engendered”, “pierced” etc. He begins by introducing characters from the highest class first. And hence we find that the Knight is the first pilgrim to be introduced. While Chaucer satirizes most of the other pilgrims he describes in the Prologue, his praise for the Knight seems quite genuine. The Knight is a down to earth and humble person despite his high social standing and achievements. The Squire’s youthfulness and sexual energy is evident in the speaker’s description of his ‘embroidered’ clothes that remind us of the Spring season. While the Knight fought for Christ’s sake, his son, the Squire fought in order to impress women and make them fall in love with him. The religious aim of the Knight is contrasted with the lustful aim of the Squire. Despite the fact that the Squire is being trained to occupy the same profession and social role of his father, he redefines this role in terms of a courtly lover. All his talents and mannerisms portray him as a courtly lover rather than a brave Knight. The Squire loved soENG1C01 - British Literature from Chaucer to 18” Century passionately that he hardly slept at night and this is probably a reference to his sexual exploits. But in order to maintain his social role, he does take an effort to show that he is courteous and ready to serve his father at the table. The Knight and Squire pair may in fact be taken as representing ideal and real respectively. The Knight’s high religious ideals versus his son’s not-so-religious attitude may also symbolize that the new generation coming up in England do not share the same religious values and ideals as firmly as the older generation did. The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is considered as an estates satire. Estate satire is a genre of writing from 14" C Medieval Literary works. FOR FURTHER READING: 1, _https://www.dvusd.org/cms/lib011/AZ01901092/ Centricity/Domain/2891/Canterbury%20Tales%2 Oprologue.pdf 2. _ https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/4941/1/thesis. pdf