Introduction...
Chaucer belonged to the middle of the fourteenth century . And that was the latter past of the middle Ages . The designation of the dark ages for the period was then on the wane . Of course,calmities and upheavals were not all over . Periodic famines , after the Great famine and the dreadful Black Death , definitely affected much the quietude of the age . A good many people , particularly of the crowded towns , were killed by that deadlist epidemic black plague . As a result , he social state of the time was not all satisfactory . The curse of the fatal epidemic haunted all , rich and poor,and made life insecure everywhere . The political condition of the period was not all sound , too ,at that time . The hundred years'war , fought between England and France , still continued . That war , constituted of a series of conflicts , had two specific phases at this age . The Edwardian War (1337-1360) and the Caroline War (1369-1389).Of course , the English hold in France was in decline only to be completely washed away some years after by the emergence of Joan of arc.
Moreover,after the glorious conquest of Edward,there came the troublesome reign of Richard II , which was an unfortunate time for the English nation . In the religious matters , the age had the bitter taste of some unfortunate controversy within the Church . The mighty authority of the Catholic Church had dissension within and resulted in the rise of Protestantism in the earliest form , that was a prelude to the separation between Catholicism and Lutheranism and a definitive end to the unified Church of the Middle Ages . But the happy indication was there that despotism and corruption of the Catholic Church would not continue much longer .
Nevertheless,all was not wrong in England . The social condition of England in particular immensely changed from what it had been during the couple of centuries after the Conquest . The arrogant victorious Normans did no more consider themselves foreigners . They were merged,under the stress of changing political situations,with the English nation . There was a strong awakening of national pride and confidence in the formation of one nation by the Normans and the English . Moreover , the economic condition , particularly of the peasantry definitely improved . with better production and higher prices , a healthier living could be possible for the much subdued and oppressed peasant class before the peasants'Revolt.
Moreover , there was the rise of the strong , royalty-based nation-state-the Kingdom of England.The King began to be more assertive , free from the undue intervention of the haughty peers.Of course , the royal oppression remained , but much more confined . indiscriminate tyranny by the greedy lords and their followers were curbed to a great ectent . The right of the commons began to push itself forward. Their power came to be counted . But,what was of greater interest was the flourish of literature in England,so much needed for the emergence of the Renaissance,soon to follow . The great awakening of English literature in the second half of the fourteenth century , was particularly due to a great master . He multiplicity of occupations endowed him with wide experiences . His great literature was the direct result of his unique and varied experiences of life as a page , esquire , diplomat , soldier , official and courtier and of his wide acquaintances with great foreign literary masters of France and Italy.
Indeed , in the developed of English literature, Chaucer is a great name . The gradual advancement of English literature , from the Old English period to the Middle English , reched the height of excellence, in the age of Chaucer by his literary magnificence . Chaucer's uniqueness and significance in English literature are particularly borne out in the very designation given to his age as the age of Chaucer.
The fourteenth century was a period of great political, social, religious and literary activity. Politically it was a period of the hundred year'swas which released and strengthened the feelings of national consciousness andpatriotism in England, people began to realize that they were English men and the idea of a holy empire evaporated from their thoughts, from the point of view it is called “The age of Chaucer”, the golden age of English poetry, the age produced five writers of note, one ofwhom, Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the greatestof English writers. Chaucer is known as thefather of English poetry that doesn’t mean that there was no poetry or poets in England before him. But before Chaucer; there was no national language; there were merely a number ofregional languages Chaucer used one of there languages. The East Midland- and by the force of him genius raised it to the level of thenational language of England. He was therefore, both the father of English poetry as well as the father of English language. He is the first national poet of England. There were other poets also as- John Gower, William Langland but there poetry is little read andenjoyed today, while Chaucer continues to be as fresh and enjoyable as when he lived and wrote. Chaucer was born in London in 1340.His father was a dealer in wine. At the age ofseventeen he became a servant in the house of John Gaunt, the Duke of Lanchester. In this way he began his connection with the court. He went several times to Europe onediplomatic missions and acquired wide knowledge of man and his life. Though he never got the benefit of any university education, in later life he worked as controller of customs and justice of the peace. He diedin the year 1400. His chief works are - The book of the Duchess; The parliament of Fowls;The house of fame Troilus and Criseyde;Legend of good women; and the Canterburytales.
General Characteristics of the Age:
· The first significant period in the literary history of English literature.
· Marks new era of new learning.
· Chaucer’s age was the turbulent period – social, political, and religious challenges.
· Chaucer was born in the reign of Edward III, lived through Richard II and died in the reign of Henry IV.
· Upsurge of national sentiments in the era.
· Normans invaded England in 1066.
· The East Midland Speech became the language of the capital city and the universities.
· French and English amalgamated to form Standard English.
· In 1362 a statute ordained that English would be the language of law courts.
· The Papal interference was strongly resented.
· In 1348-49 the terrible Black Death occurred. One third population of England was carried off.
· It reappeared in 1362, 1367 and 1370.
· As the result the labour became scarce.
· The church which was the seat of power and prestige was infected with corruption, moral turpitude and superstitions.
· John Wycliffe (1320-84) challenged the authority of Catholic Church and tried to revive spiritual Christianity in England.
· The Lollard Movement was the first important opposition to Catholicism in England to expose corruption in the Church.
· Church used to controlled men’s thoughts and feelings and it was the clerics who interfered in temporal affairs of common men.
· Italy started reviving the study of the literature of classical antiquity. The theological slavery was weakened.
· The two Italian writers, Petrarch (1304-74) and Boccaccio (1313-75) were the pioneers of the great revival.
· The spirit of humanism was one of the formative influence of the age of Chaucer, engendered the quickened sense of beauty, the delight in life and the free secular spirit.
· Root says in this regard, “the movement of Renaissance first assumed definite form, and our modern world began.
Poetry in Chaucer’s Age
‘Amalgam of love, religion and chivalry and humanism and secular spirit’
The Prominent poets of Chaucer’s Age:
1. Chaucer (1340-1400)
2. William Langland (1332-1400)
3. John Gower (1332-1408)
The prose writers of Chaucer’s Age:
1. John of Trevisa
2. Travels of Sir John Mandeville
3. Chaucer
4. John Wycliffe.
Reference.....
W J.Long s history of English literature.
Chaucer belonged to the middle of the fourteenth century . And that was the latter past of the middle Ages . The designation of the dark ages for the period was then on the wane . Of course,calmities and upheavals were not all over . Periodic famines , after the Great famine and the dreadful Black Death , definitely affected much the quietude of the age . A good many people , particularly of the crowded towns , were killed by that deadlist epidemic black plague . As a result , he social state of the time was not all satisfactory . The curse of the fatal epidemic haunted all , rich and poor,and made life insecure everywhere . The political condition of the period was not all sound , too ,at that time . The hundred years'war , fought between England and France , still continued . That war , constituted of a series of conflicts , had two specific phases at this age . The Edwardian War (1337-1360) and the Caroline War (1369-1389).Of course , the English hold in France was in decline only to be completely washed away some years after by the emergence of Joan of arc.
Moreover,after the glorious conquest of Edward,there came the troublesome reign of Richard II , which was an unfortunate time for the English nation . In the religious matters , the age had the bitter taste of some unfortunate controversy within the Church . The mighty authority of the Catholic Church had dissension within and resulted in the rise of Protestantism in the earliest form , that was a prelude to the separation between Catholicism and Lutheranism and a definitive end to the unified Church of the Middle Ages . But the happy indication was there that despotism and corruption of the Catholic Church would not continue much longer .
Nevertheless,all was not wrong in England . The social condition of England in particular immensely changed from what it had been during the couple of centuries after the Conquest . The arrogant victorious Normans did no more consider themselves foreigners . They were merged,under the stress of changing political situations,with the English nation . There was a strong awakening of national pride and confidence in the formation of one nation by the Normans and the English . Moreover , the economic condition , particularly of the peasantry definitely improved . with better production and higher prices , a healthier living could be possible for the much subdued and oppressed peasant class before the peasants'Revolt.
Moreover , there was the rise of the strong , royalty-based nation-state-the Kingdom of England.The King began to be more assertive , free from the undue intervention of the haughty peers.Of course , the royal oppression remained , but much more confined . indiscriminate tyranny by the greedy lords and their followers were curbed to a great ectent . The right of the commons began to push itself forward. Their power came to be counted . But,what was of greater interest was the flourish of literature in England,so much needed for the emergence of the Renaissance,soon to follow . The great awakening of English literature in the second half of the fourteenth century , was particularly due to a great master . He multiplicity of occupations endowed him with wide experiences . His great literature was the direct result of his unique and varied experiences of life as a page , esquire , diplomat , soldier , official and courtier and of his wide acquaintances with great foreign literary masters of France and Italy.
Indeed , in the developed of English literature, Chaucer is a great name . The gradual advancement of English literature , from the Old English period to the Middle English , reched the height of excellence, in the age of Chaucer by his literary magnificence . Chaucer's uniqueness and significance in English literature are particularly borne out in the very designation given to his age as the age of Chaucer.
The fourteenth century was a period of great political, social, religious and literary activity. Politically it was a period of the hundred year'swas which released and strengthened the feelings of national consciousness andpatriotism in England, people began to realize that they were English men and the idea of a holy empire evaporated from their thoughts, from the point of view it is called “The age of Chaucer”, the golden age of English poetry, the age produced five writers of note, one ofwhom, Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the greatestof English writers. Chaucer is known as thefather of English poetry that doesn’t mean that there was no poetry or poets in England before him. But before Chaucer; there was no national language; there were merely a number ofregional languages Chaucer used one of there languages. The East Midland- and by the force of him genius raised it to the level of thenational language of England. He was therefore, both the father of English poetry as well as the father of English language. He is the first national poet of England. There were other poets also as- John Gower, William Langland but there poetry is little read andenjoyed today, while Chaucer continues to be as fresh and enjoyable as when he lived and wrote. Chaucer was born in London in 1340.His father was a dealer in wine. At the age ofseventeen he became a servant in the house of John Gaunt, the Duke of Lanchester. In this way he began his connection with the court. He went several times to Europe onediplomatic missions and acquired wide knowledge of man and his life. Though he never got the benefit of any university education, in later life he worked as controller of customs and justice of the peace. He diedin the year 1400. His chief works are - The book of the Duchess; The parliament of Fowls;The house of fame Troilus and Criseyde;Legend of good women; and the Canterburytales.
General Characteristics of the Age:
· The first significant period in the literary history of English literature.
· Marks new era of new learning.
· Chaucer’s age was the turbulent period – social, political, and religious challenges.
· Chaucer was born in the reign of Edward III, lived through Richard II and died in the reign of Henry IV.
· Upsurge of national sentiments in the era.
· Normans invaded England in 1066.
· The East Midland Speech became the language of the capital city and the universities.
· French and English amalgamated to form Standard English.
· In 1362 a statute ordained that English would be the language of law courts.
· The Papal interference was strongly resented.
· In 1348-49 the terrible Black Death occurred. One third population of England was carried off.
· It reappeared in 1362, 1367 and 1370.
· As the result the labour became scarce.
· The church which was the seat of power and prestige was infected with corruption, moral turpitude and superstitions.
· John Wycliffe (1320-84) challenged the authority of Catholic Church and tried to revive spiritual Christianity in England.
· The Lollard Movement was the first important opposition to Catholicism in England to expose corruption in the Church.
· Church used to controlled men’s thoughts and feelings and it was the clerics who interfered in temporal affairs of common men.
· Italy started reviving the study of the literature of classical antiquity. The theological slavery was weakened.
· The two Italian writers, Petrarch (1304-74) and Boccaccio (1313-75) were the pioneers of the great revival.
· The spirit of humanism was one of the formative influence of the age of Chaucer, engendered the quickened sense of beauty, the delight in life and the free secular spirit.
· Root says in this regard, “the movement of Renaissance first assumed definite form, and our modern world began.
Poetry in Chaucer’s Age
‘Amalgam of love, religion and chivalry and humanism and secular spirit’
The Prominent poets of Chaucer’s Age:
1. Chaucer (1340-1400)
2. William Langland (1332-1400)
3. John Gower (1332-1408)
The prose writers of Chaucer’s Age:
1. John of Trevisa
2. Travels of Sir John Mandeville
3. Chaucer
4. John Wycliffe.
Reference.....
W J.Long s history of English literature.
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