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History Of English Literature

Class Assignment

Characteristics of The Age of Chaucer:

1. Introduction:


  The Age of Chaucer (1343–1450) is one of the most important periods in English literary history.This era was marked by significant changes in society, politics, religion, and literature, and is known as a time of transition, where medieval traditions were giving way to new, modern ideas.

1.1 An Era of Transition:

The Age of Chaucer was a time of great change. The old ways of the medieval world were slowly being replaced by modern thoughts and ideas. This was the period when John Wycliffe and his followers began challenging the Church, which laid the foundation for the Reformation.People began focusing more on individualism—the idea that individuals and their thoughts were important. At the same time, military conflicts like the Hundred Years' War were increasing national pride and unity. Industrial development, such as the growth of towns and trade, was creating a middle and working class, which contributed to the end of the feudal system, where peasants worked under lords.

1.2 Growth of National Sentiment:

During this time, England was fighting in the Hundred Years' War against France and Scotland. Victories in major battles like Crecy and Poitiers gave people a sense of national pride. Englishmen began 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 victories and national pride during this time helped to create a stronger sense of English identity.

1.3.The black death, feminine and social unrest:

 This period was also marked by natural disasters and social unrest. In 1348-49, the Black Death, a devastating plague, wiped out one-third of England's population. It was an epoch of natural calamities which increased the sufferings of the common people. It reappeared in 1362, 1367 and 1370. The plague reappeared several times in the following decades, along with famines, which worsened the lives of the common people. The shortage of labor due to the death toll led to 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 incredibly powerful during Chaucer’s time, but it had become corrupt. Many church officials were more interested in wealth, luxury, and worldly pleasures than in serving the people or maintaining religious purity. This corruption led to criticism from reformers like John Wycliffe, who called for changes in the Church. His ideas paved the way for the Reformation, a major religious movement that aimed to correct the abuses of the Church.

 Chaucer’s writings often satirized corrupt church officials, highlighting how far they had strayed from their spiritual duties. His famous work, ‘The Canterbury Tales’ , paints a realistic picture of the clergy and their worldly behavior.

1.5 The Dawn of New Learning (The Renaissance Influence):

Although the Renaissance had not yet fully arrived in England, the seeds of new learning were being planted. This was a time when people began to question old ideas and explore new ways of thinking. Writers like Petrarch and Boccaccio in Italy inspired people with their humanistic ideas, which focused on the value of human beings, their thoughts, and their potential. This spirit 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 teachings, opening up the path for the Renaissance, which would later sweep across Europe.

1.6 Influence of Chaucer:

Geoffrey Chaucer is often called the "Father of English Literature" because he played a major role in shaping English writing during this period. His works, particularly ‘The Canterbury Tales’, reflect the changes happening in his time. Chaucer captured the spirit of the Age of Transition, criticizing the corruption of the Church, portraying the social unrest, and embracing the new ideas of the Renaissance. He gave a voice to the English people, and his works were among the first to be written in the English language instead of Latin or French, helping to establish English as a respected literary language.

Summing up:

The Age of Chaucer was a time of great change, where the old medieval world was slowly giving way to new ideas and ways of life. There was a growing sense of nationalism, unrest due to social and economic issues, and widespread criticism of the Church’s corruption. At the same time, the beginnings of the Renaissance were starting to take root, bringing new ideas and a more humanistic way of thinking. Chaucer’s works reflected these changes, and his influence helped shape the future of English literature.


Home Assignment


Question B

Write a Detail note on Canterbury tales.

Introduction:    


            Geoffrey Chaucer’s. The Canterbury Tales is one of the greatest works in English literature and is considered a landmark in the history of English poetry. Written in the late 14th century, it reflects medieval society with vivid realism, humor, and satire. It is a frame narrative—a collection of stories within a larger story—that allows Chaucer to bring together a variety of characters, themes, and literary forms.

The Framework (The Pilgrimage):


     The central story revolves around a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. These pilgrims gather at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, near London. The Host (Harry Bailey) suggests that, to pass the time during the journey, each pilgrim should tell stories.

Originally, Chaucer planned for each pilgrim to tell four tales (two on the way and two on the return), which would have made 120 tales. However, only 24 tales were completed. Despite being incomplete, the work gives us a panoramic view of medieval societies.

The General Prologue:

The General Prologue serves as an introduction to the work. Chaucer introduces around 30 pilgrims, each described with detail in terms of appearance, profession, behavior, and social class. These pilgrims represent a microcosm of medieval society, ranging from the Knight, the Parson, and the Plowman to the Miller, the Wife of Bath, and the Pardoner. The descriptions are full of realism, irony, and satire, which reveal Chaucer’s keen observation of human nature. 

Essay

Question -C

Write a theme on Canterbury tales.

Major Themes:

1. Social Satire and Criticism

Chaucer exposes the corruption of the Church (e.g., the Pardoner and the Summoner) and the greed and hypocrisy in different professions.At the same time, he admires true goodness, honesty, and devotion, as seen in the Knight, the Parson, and the Plowman.

2. Human Nature

Through the tales, Chaucer reveals universal human qualities: love, lust, greed, pride, deceit, kindness, and honor.His characters are vividly human, neither wholly good nor wholly bad, which makes them realistic.

3. Variety of Storytelling

The tales represent almost every medieval literary genre: romance, fabliau (comic tale), beast fable, sermon, saint’s legend, allegory, and moral tale.This variety shows Chaucer’s versatility as a poet.

4. Class and Social Order

The Tales reflect the shifting social structure of the 14th century, where the rising middle class began to challenge the old feudal order.

Examples of Notable Tales:



1.  The Knight’s Tale – A chivalric romance about love and honor.

2.  The Miller’s Tale – A fabliau, full of bawdy humor and trickery.

3.  The Wife of Bath’s Tale – Explores marriage, gender, and female authority with wit.

4.  The Pardoner’s Tale – A moral allegory against greed, though ironically told by a corrupt Pardoner.

5.  The Nun’s Priest’s Tale – A beast fable with satire and moral lessons.

Language and Style:

Chaucer wrote in Middle English, making literature accessible to ordinary people rather than just the Latin-educated elite.

He used iambic pentameter and the rhyming couplet, laying the foundation for later English poetry.His tone ranges from comic and ironic to serious and moral, showing great flexibility.

Significance:

1. A Social Document – It provides a realistic picture of 14th-century England, including religion, class, gender, and everyday life.

2. Father of English Poetry – Chaucer gave respectability to English as a literary language at a time when French and Latin dominated.

3. Universal Appeal – His characters and themes are timeless, reflecting human weaknesses and virtues that are still relevant today.

4. Literary Innovation – The frame narrative and mixture of genres make The Canterbury Tales a masterpiece of structure and imagination.

Conclusion:

The Canterbury Tales is more than just a collection of stories; it is a portrait of an age. Chaucer’s keen observation, humor, and humanity make the work enduringly powerful. Though incomplete, it stands as a monument of English literature that bridges the medieval and modern worlds.

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer

https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-canterbury-tales/themes

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-canterbury-



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