LECTURE VII MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE [4] GEOFFREY CHAUCER Sources: Primary texts: Chaucer, G.

, The Canterbury Tales, ed. N. Coghill (Penguin, 1973) Chaucer, G., The Canterbury Tales, ed. Winny, (Cambridge: CUP, 19) Chaucer, G., Troilus and Criseyde, ed. W.W. !ea" (#$%ord , 19&&) a" 'he #nline Cla((ical and )edie*al +ibrary ,omacl- h"".://omacl.org/'roilu(/ Chaucer, G., Troilus and Criseyde, modern *er(ion in 0line, 1. ., (.oe"ry "ran(la"ion) 2Geo%%rey Chaucer 3 'roilu( and Cri(eyde2 h"".://444..oe"ryin"ran(la"ion.com/!linea(chaucer.h"m Secondary texts: 5augh, 1.C., ed., A Literary History of England (+ondon: 6ou"ledge and 0egan Paul, 1978), ... 97939:3 Coo"e, ., English Literature in the Middle Ages (Penguin, 1988), ... 7&319& ;aiche(, ;., A Critical History of English Literature, *ol.1 (+ondon: ec!er and Warburg, 19:9), ... 893191 ;ay, ). ., A History of English Literature to Sixteen Sixty (;oubleday, 19:3), ...7139& <le"cher, 6.=., A History of English Literature (5o("on: 5adger, 9&&7 ,1919-), ... 79388 )oody, W.>., +o*e"", 6. )., History of English Literature (Ne4 ?or!: cribner, 1918), .., 713@@ i"e( on Geo%%rey Chaucer: h"".://444.unc.edu/de."(/chaucer/inde$.h"ml h"".://444.cour(e(.%a(.har*ard.edu/Achaucer/ h"".://444.(a(.u.enn.edu/ABh(y/chaucer3....h"ml )aBor hi("orical e*en"( : 17"h c. "imeline: (h"".://444.unc.edu/de."(/chaucer/Ca""a/17"hcen".h"ml) A. Geoffre C!"ucer #$%4& #or $%'() *$4&&) $. L+fe: 3 (on o% a *in"ner or merchan" (4ine merchan") 3 hi( middle cla(( bac!ground accoun"( %or hi( diligence 3 hi( cour"ly e$.erience made him %amiliar 4i"h "he lei(ured, chi*alric, <rench ba(ed cul"ure. 3 he %ough" in <rance, 4a( "a!en .ri(oner and ran(omed 3 he "ra*elled in Duro.e, "o <rance and E"aly. 3 4a( married "o Phili..a 6oe", <lemi(h lady3in34ai"ing "o Fueen Phili..a, 4i%e o% Dd4ard EEE, and had "4o (on( 3 la"e in hi( li%e, a%"er ha*ing occu.ied *ariou( .o(i"ion( a" cour" (amba((ador "o E"aly and Con"roller o% "he Cu("om() and (er*ed a( a re.re(en"a"i*e in Parliamen", he re"ired "o 0en". 3 %or hi( (er*ice( "o "he cro4n, during hi( li%e he 4a( gran"ed *ariou( annui"ie(. '.E,uc"-+o.: 3 he ("udied a" #$%ord and Cambridge and 4a( a *ery 4ell educa"ed man: he 4a( con*er(an" 4i"h +a"in language and cul"ure, 4i"h E"alian and <rench li"era"ureG he al(o had a (.ecula"i*e in"ellec", a good !no4ledge o% rhe"oric, .hilo(o.hy, "heology and medie*al (cience 3 he 4a( de(cribed a( Ha ready logician, a (moo"h rhe"orician, a .lea(an" .oe", a gra*e .hilo(o.her, an ingeniou( ma"hema"ician and a holy di*ine2 (Iohn +eland, 1:"h c.)

Influences: cla((ical: >irgil, The AeneidG #*id, The Metamorphoses early mediae*al 4ri"er(: ". 1ugu("ine, 5oe"hiu(, con"em.orary au"hor(: E"alian and <rench au"hor( Main periods: 3 <rench (u. "o 1379), 3 E"alian (137931387), 3 Dngli(h (1387317&&) 3.Works: (i)Translations (13 !"#$): 3 %rom Guillaume de +orri( and Iean de )eung, The Romaunt of the Rose [The Romance of the Rose 3 %rom 5oe"hiu(, !n the Consolation of "hilosophy (138938:) (ii)%arly &orks: The #oo$ of the %uchess (13:9) 3 4ri""en a" "he dea"h o% 5lanche, 4i%e o% Iohn o% Gaun" 3 indirec" me"hod o% .re(en"a"ion, e$uberan" ornamen" and a 2gou" de( com.lica"ion(2 in "he %lamboyan" ("yle o% la"e Go"hic ar" 3 'he 5lac! 0nigh" e$.lain( "o "he narra"or hi( (u%%ering %or an unconJuerable beau"y and he dra4( and analogy be"4een lo*e and a game o% che((, in 4hich he ha( lo(" hi( Fueen, beau"i%ul 5lanche, in "he co(mic game be"4een him and <or"une. The House of &ame (la"e 1379) 3 deal( 4i"h "he Jue("ion o% dream( and lo*e 3 "a!e( a( an e$am.le "he ("ory o% ;ido and 1enea(. The "arliament of &o'ls (138&) 3 on ". >alen"ineK( ;ay, a ga"hering o% bird( 4ho are .re(ided by godde(( Na"ura, "ry "o decide on 4ho (hould be "heir ma"e(. 3 .re(en"( a range o% o.inion( on %ree 4ill, .lea(ure and re(.ec" o% (ocial hierarchy. The Legend of (ood )omen (138@, (ome .ar"( 4ri""en earlier): 3 di(cu((e( "he li*e( o% *ariou( grea" 4omen 4ho (u%%ered %rom lo*e. /. C!"ucer0s M"1or 2or3s: 1. Troilus and 'riseyde (13!() *nfluences+ #*id, 5oe"hiu(G 5occaccioK( *l &ilostratoG 'he 'roy ("ory: ;are( Phrygiu(, ;yc"i( Cre"en(i(, Guido delle Collone, 5enoi" de " )aur 3 "he .oem ha( %i*e boo!( and i( 4ri""en in rhyme royal. 3 i" i( a "ragic ("ory o% "4o lo*er( 4ho are di*ided by "he circum("ance(G "he "4o are originally (econdary charac"er( in "he 'roy cycle, 4hich Chaucer "urn( in"o main .ro"agoni("(. Story+ E. En "he ci"y o% 'roy 'roilu( (ee( Cri(eyde, a young 4ido4, and %all( in lo*e 4i"h her. =e cour"( her bu" all hi( a""em."( "o gain her a""en"ion are in *ain. EE. 6e(or"ing "o "he (er*ice( o% Pandaru(, her uncle, 'roilu( e*en"ually 4in( her lo*e

EEE. 'he ("ory o% "heir grea" lo*e and ha..ine((. E>. Cri(eyde ha( "o lea*e 'roy on an e$change o% .ri(oner( and i( "a!en "o "he Gree! cam.. 'here (he i( cour"ed by ;iomede. 'he "4o lo*er( mee" again bu" "hey .ar". >. 'roilu( (ee( ;iomede 4earing "he brooch he ha( gi*en "o Cri(eyde and, con*inced o% her be"rayal, "rie( "o ge" !illed in ba""le. D*en"ually he die(. 6i(ing abo*e "he Dar"h hi( (oul con"em.la"e( "he 4orld i" lea*e( behind ,1 (eJuel 4a( 4ri""en by =ender(on, (ho4ing 'roilu( gi*ing alm( "o a le.er 4ho i( Cri(eydeStyle+ Cri(eydeL( charac"er, he(i"a"ion(, be"rayal and remor(e a( 4ell a( 'roilu(K( *ariou( mood( are ma("er%ully de.ic"edG con(idered an early .(ychological "e$" Main themes o% Troilus and Criseyde: (a) The main theme is theological+ can the good pagan be sa,edM 3'he 'roBan(K (ecular *alue( and inheren" moral 4ea!ne(( ma!e "hem (ubBec" "o "he 4him( o% <or"une 3 "heir (coar(e) ri"ual( canno" hel. "hem 3 "heir moral 4ea!ne(( e$.o(e( "hem "o de("ruc"ion 3 ye" "here i( an inna"e !no4ledge o% God, 4hich i( mani%e(" a" "he le*el o% "he mind 3 "hrough "he e$erci(e o% "he in"ellec", 'roilu( mo*e( %rom "he a..aren" image , ,is aestimati,a- o% hi( belo*ed Cri(eyde, 4hich he ha( "hrough hi( ear"hly a..e"i"e, "o her image in "he mirror o% hi( mind ,,is imaginati,a-, 4hich i( an image o% moral *ir"ue and "ru"h 3 a( hi( in"ellec" "a!e( him %rom .hy(ical , cupiditas- "o moral ,caritas- lo*e, 'roilu( can recogniCe in "he la""er "he .o((ibili"y "o (a*e hi( (oul (b) The difference bet'een t'o $inds of lo,e+ caritas and cupiditas Chaucer 4a( in%luenced by ". 1ugu("ineL( di("inc"ion be"4een : - cupiditas (cu.idi"y): enBoymen" o% oneK( (el%, or o% "he o"her %or oneL( o4n (a!e, u(ing "he o"her - caritas (chari"y) or enBoymen" o% God %or GodL( o4n (a!e 3 lo*e %unc"ion( a( a "e(" "ha" di("ingui(he( "4o !ind( o% lo*e: 3 human lo*e (cupiditas), 4hich .lace( man on "he 4heel o% <or"une and ma!e( him (ubBec" "o i"( u.( and do4n(, "o ha..ine(( and mi(ery 3 "he lo*e o% God (charity), 4hich .lace( man on "he hub o% "he 4heel and "a!e( him ou" "em.orali"y .c/ "hilosophical+ The relation bet'een free 'ill and di,ine "ro,idence 3 %ree 4ill can be e$erci(ed by man a" all "ime( and i( %ore(een by God in hi( di*ine Pro*idence 3 "he choice o% cu.idi"y .lace( man )an on "he 4heel o% <or"une, "hu( man i( (ubBec" "o <or"uneL( u.( and do4n( and "o her un.redic"able change( 3 "he choice o% chari"y .lace( man on "he hub and ou"(ide "em.oral *ici((i"ude(. 3 "he aim o% "he "e$" i( "o indica"e "he permanence o% bli(( in "he con"em.la"ion and lo*e o% "he di*ine $. T)e 'anter*ury Tales #4e5u. $%(6*$%7') )((. Dlle(mereG +and(do4nG =eng4r" *nfluences+ imilar E"alian 4or!(: Gio*anni 5occaccioK( %ecameronG Gio*anni ercambiK( 0o,elle Cla((ical in%luence(: #*id, >irgil, )acrobiu(, "a"iu(, Philo(o.hy: 5oe"hiu(

)ediae*al .hilo(o.hy and "heology: 1llanu( ab En(uli( , 5ernard il*e("ri( Chaucer: modern auc"or: no" a scriptor ((cribe), a compilator (com.iler) or a commentator (commen"a"or) Structure+ 3 general .rologue and "en grou.( o% ("orie( 3 %ramed ("ory con("ruc"ed on "he idea o% .ilgrimage u(ed a( a li"erary de*ice 3 i( a (a"ire or de(cri."ion o% (ocial ("a"e( 3 al(o a .o((ible allegory o% li%e "a!en a( a .ilgrimage, mar!ed by *ariou( (in( and ending 4i"h "he (ermon Types of characters+ Charac"er( co*er all "he (ocial cla((e( and ca"egorie(: 'he mili"ary ari("ocracy: "he !nigh", "he (Juire, 'he clergy: "he mon!, "he .riore((, "he (econd nun, "he %riar (limi"our), "he nunK( .rie(", "he .ardoner, coun"ry .ar(on +iberal .ro%e((ion(: "he man o% la4, "he #$%ord ("uden" (cler!), "he .hy(ician 'he in"ermediary cla((: "he 4i%e o% 5a"h, "he (ummoner, "he "he miller, "he merchan", "he car.en"er, "he coo!, "he ree*e, "he %ran!lin, "he manci.le, "he haberda(her, "he dyer, "he canonK( yeoman, "he inn!ee.er, +o4er (ocial ca"egorie(: "he .loughman Chaucer a( "he narra"or Types of Tales (4hich charac"eriCe direc"ly or indirec"ly): 1. Romances: "ale o% ad*en"ure( and lo*e: 'he "ale o% Palamon and 1rci"e 9. &abliau.x/: licen"iou( ("ory/ie( o% coar(e humour: 'he millerK( "ale o% "he old car.en"er 4ho i( chea"ed by hi( young 4i%e 3. &ables: moral allegorie(: 'he ("ory o% Chaun"ecleer and Per"elo"e 71 Exempla: li%e o% e$em.lary .er(onali"ie(, bu" al(o allegorie(: 'he "ale o% Gri(elda, "he "ale o% Con("ance, "he "ale o% illu("riou( men @1 Legend: (hagiogra.hy) li*e( o% "he (ain"( 'he legend o% li""le ". =ugh :. Sermon: abou" "he (e*en deadly (in( "he .ar(onL( (ermon ChaucerK( re"rac"ion: in 4hich he a.ologiCe( i% he ha( e*er o%%ended God in hi( 4ri"ing(

C. TE8TS E9cer:- fro; Troilus and 'riseyde [;o,er. <ers+o.]

5u", 4ela4ay, 4ere i" no" i" 4a( God.( 4ill, mercile((ly, %ierce 1chille( did him !ill. 9@9. 1nd 4hen he 4a( (lain in "hi( manner, hi( ligh" gho(" %ull bli((%ully 4en" u. "o "he hollo4ne(( o% "he eigh"h (.here, lea*ing behind e*ery elemen". 1nd "here he (a4, clear in hi( a(cen", "he 4andering .lane"(, hearing harmony in (ound( %ull o% hea*enly melody. 9:&. 1nd do4n %rom "here he (.ie( "hi( li""le (.o" o% ear"h "ha" 4i"h "he (ea i( embraced, and begin( "o de(.i(e "hi( 4re"ched 4orld, and hold i" *ani"y com.ared 4i"h "he "rue %elici"y "ha" i( in hea*en abo*e. 1nd a" "he la(" do4n 4here he 4a( (lain, hi( gaCe he ca(". 9:1. 1nd in him(el% he laughed a" "he 4oe o% "ho(e 4ho 4e." %or hi( dea"h no4 .a(": and damned all our 4or! "ha" %ollo4( (o on blind lu(", 4hich can ne*er la(", 4hen 4e (hould all our hear" on hea*en ca(". 1nd %or"h he 4en", brie%ly "o "ell, 4here )ercury a..oin"ed him "o d4ell. 9:9. uch ending ha( 'roilu(, lo, "hrough lo*e: (uch ending ha( all hi( grea" 4or"hine((, (uch ending ha( hi( royal e("a"e abo*e, (uch ending hi( de(ire, hi( noblene((, (uch ending ha( %al(e 4ord(. %ic!lene((. 1nd "hu( began hi( lo*ing o% Cre((id, and in "hi( 4ay he died, a( E ha*e (aid. 9:3. # young %re(h %ol!(, he or (he, in 4hom lo*e gro4( 4hen you age, re"urn home %rom 4orldly *ani"y, and o% your hear" ca(" u. "he *i(age "o "ha" (ame God 4ho in =i( image made you, and "hin! i" bu" a %air, "hi( 4orld "ha" .a((e( (oon a( %lo4er( %air. 9:7. 1nd lo*e =im, 4ho "ruly ou" o% lo*e on a cro((, "o redeem our (oul( "ha" day, %ir(" died, "hen ro(e, "o (i" in hea*en abo*e: %or he decei*e( no one, E (ay, 4ho hi( hear" (hall 4holly on him lay. 1nd (ince =e i( be(" "o lo*e, and mo(" mee!, 4ha" need i( "here %or %eigned lo*e( "o (ee!M 9:@. +o (ee, "he .agan.( cur(ed ancien" ri"e(: +o (ee, ho4 much "heir god( a*ail: +o (ee, "hi( 4re"ched 4orld.( a..e"i"e(: +o (ee, "he end and re4ard o% "he "ra*ail

o% Io*e, 1.ollo, )ar(, "heir ra(cally "ale: +o (ee, "he %orm o% ancien" cler!(. (.eech in .oe"ry, i% you "heir boo!( (hould (ee!. 9::. # moral Go4er, "hi( boo! E direc" "o you, and you, .hilo(o.hical "rode, "o 4arran", and 4here need i(, "o correc", in your benigni"y and Ceal.( good. 1nd "o "ha" "rue Chri(" 4ho died on rood, 4i"h all my hear" %or mercy e*er E .ray, and "o "he +ord righ" "hu( E (.ea! and (ay: 9:7. 'hou one and "4o, and "hree, e"ernally ali*e, 4ho reign %ore*er, in "hree and "4o and one, un3circum(cribed, "ha" may all circum(cribe, u( %rom %oe( *i(ible, and "he in*i(ible one de%end: and o% 'hy mercy, e*eryone, (o ma!e u(, Ie(u(, 4or"hy "hi( grace o% "hine, %or lo*e o% )aid and )o"her "hine benign. 1men. Dnd o% 5oo! <i*e

ource: 0line, 1. ., (.oe"ry "ran(la"ion) 2Geo%%rey Chaucer 3 'roilu( and Cri(eyde2 h"".://444..oe"ryin"ran(la"ion.com/!linea(chaucer.h"m