Abstract This paper details Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the most acclaimed poets of all time. It includes a historical biography on Geoffrey Chaucer and analyzes his works 'The Canterbury Tales', 'Book of Duchess', 'House of Fame' and many more. The author finds that Chaucer definitely changed English literature as he brought it to an entirely new and much higher level and therefore he has been called a master and the father of English poetry.
From the Paper "In his lifetime Geoffrey Chaucer was hailed as the greatest poet of his age. And today, after more than five and a half centuries, during which the warmth, color, humor, and humanity of his poetry have endeared him to his reader, his name stands in the annals of English literature second only to Shakespeare", Dunn, page 1). Chaucer, by his nature was a poet, but he was also a civil servant to earn a living. He was born in approximately 1343 to a wealthy, bourgeoisie family. He probably attended a law school known as the Inner Temple in London. At a young age he served as a pageboy to Elizabeth of Ulster, the daughter-in-law to King Edward III. His duties were modest. He had to do such chores as making the beds and looking after clothing. However, he did get to travel with Elizabeth throughout England and Ireland. In 1366 he married Philippa Roet, a lady in waiting to Queen Philippa and later to John of Gaunt. Chaucer had three children by this marriage, two sons and a daughter. From about 1368 on he served as a royal diplomatic agent in France and Italy. In 1374 King Edward appointed him controller of customs. In 1385 he moved to the county of Kent where he was a justice of the peace and served one session as representative of the county in Parliament. It's apparent that his wife died in 1387 and in 1389 he returned to London to supervise construction and repairs around Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle. He rented a house in the gardens of Westminster Abbey in 1399 and in 1400 died. He was buried in the Abbey in a section now known as the Poet's Corner."
Abstract This paper discusses and reviews the work of Geoffrey Chaucer, whose book 'The Canterbury Tales' is thought to be his greatest achievement and most compelling addition to the English literary canon. This paper goes on to focus primarily on his early poetry, as not only can his pre-Canterbury Tales poems be rich in their own right, but Chaucer's development as a master writer can be seen through them. His development into a narrator of skill and depth is the most astounding path which a reader can follow. Watching as the Chaucer who narrates the early dream-vision poetry readies himself for the multiple and interesting narrators of his later masterpiece is truly compelling.
Abstract This paper examines two of the tales in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales--"The Miller's Tale" and "The Pardoner's Tale"and uses them to discuss Chaucer's view of Christianity.
From the Paper "The Canterbury Tales is a curious mix of ribaldry and Christian themes and values made all the more intriguing by the plot twists he incorporates. At first blush Chaucer's works are coarse, even lewd and full of ..."
Tags:Chaucer, The Miller's Tale, The Pardoner's Tale, Christianity
Abstract This paper discusses recurring themes through three of Chaucer's works: "Parliament of Fowles", "The Book of the Duchesse", and "The House of Fame". The distinctions being made are that Chaucer actually devises a literary tradition in these three works and that it is modeled after the religious experience of his time. The three qualities of craft/knowledge, guide/teacher, and dream/fantasy state are discussed.
From the Paper "Chaucer's use of the sleep/dream motif as vehicle to introduce his unique brand of fantasy has been well-documented. In some senses that analysis is as tired as his Canterbury Tales, in so far as the motif has been critically analyzed. More interesting to the reader is Chaucer's preface of dream states or fantasies, which form the central portion of many of his works, with textual reference to the art or craft of living, or of being alive, and how this particular discipline is intermixed with study, reading, and knowledge of some form. It is referenced best when, in "Parliament of Fowles," the speaker says, "...the craft so long to lerne" (1)."
Abstract This paper discusses the characteristics of three of the love-vision poems of Geoffrey Chaucer, noting how Chaucer uses aspects of the courtly love tradition in "Book of the Duchess," "House of Fame," and "Parliament of Foules." The paper notes that all three poems involve dreaming in some sense, setting the visions apart from the real world to a degree and linking courtly love with dreaming.
From the Paper "Chaucer represented the prevailing poetic conventions of his time and also reflected the major interests of his audience even as he shaped those interests around his own view of society. A tradition in poetry at the time was to celebrate courtly love, which can be defined as a form of love at a distance, a tradition that elevated women to a particular position, setting them on a pedestal as the male would serve them and admire them from afar. Often, the woman was married to another, though that is not a necessary element. Often, the male would be a knight serving his lady and protecting her from harm even though his love might not be returned."
Abstract This paper compares Chaucer and the Pearl poet in terms of religious expression and secular elements, showing that the two reflect some of the same themes and concerns about society. It looks at how Chaucer is more openly critical of the way the clergy of his time behaves, while the Pearl poet is more concerned with teaching moral lessons and showing the value of religious belief.
From the Paper "Critics regard Geoffrey Chaucer as a secular poet, while the Pearl poet is seen primarily as a religious one reflecting the view of Christianity. In fact, though, the two poets are much closer together than this might suggest and address many of the same issues, same types of stories, and same concerns from differing points of view. If critics find Chaucer more secular, that may be because his vision reflects more of the reality of the world around him, so that he shows people with all their passions and faults, while the Pearl poet tends more toward idealized visions of moral attitudes and concepts of honor."
Abstract In this paper, the theme of love is analyzed in three poems by Geoffrey Chaucer. By selecting various scenes and motifs from these poems, one can realize the differing concepts of love as they relate to one another, as well as how they compare overall. The paper shows that the resulting notion of love is depicted through different perceptions of love, and how they are perceived through knowledge, divinity and elegy.
From the Paper "In this literary study, the theme of love will be analyzed in the "The Book of Duchess", "The House of Fame", and "The Parliament of Fowls" by Geoffrey Chaucer. In this manner, all three poems will present comparing and contrasting elements of love. By utilizing Chaucer's perceptions of love in medieval society, the absence of love due to book knowledge, godly intervention or elegiac poetic form in the overall thematic intentions of these poems. The "Parliament of Fowls" relates the narrator's view of life through advent of reading books, but has no real experience in matters of love. In this respect, the narrator states: "For al be that I knowe nat Love in deed/.Yit happeth me ful ofte in bokes reede/ Of his myrakles and his crewel yre" (Chaucer "Parliament of Fowls" 8;10-11)."
Abstract This paper explores the "Priest's Tale" and the "Manciple's Tale" from Geoffrey Chaucer's classic work, "The Canterbury Tales." Through comparing and contrasting the two distinctive beast fables that are presented in these stories, this paper demonstrates that the beast fable can be used to demonstrate extremely distinctive views of human nature and the capacity for human actions and behaviors.
From the Paper "The use of the beast fable has traditionally been to illustrate some aspect of humanity in a manner that is both accessible to the audience and helps communicate the concept that humanity can act in an animalistic fashion. Through using the beast fable as a teaching tool, the audience can identify that the actions of human beings are at times animalistic, and thus basic human nature needs to be seen not as beyond the capacity of engaging in foolish or otherwise base actions."
Abstract In this book review, the author looks at the general prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". The paper examines the masterful and clever way in which Chaucer described late Middle Age life. The author reminds us that "Canterbury Tales" is actually an unfinished work due to Chaucer's untimely death. The existing "Canterbury Tales" actually comprises only about one fourth of the intended one hundred twenty or more tales. The paper examines in detail each of the characters that Chaucer centers upon and how they are portrayed in a comical manner. The author concludes with the question of whether the issues raised in the book have changed significantly over time and if Chaucer's confidence in his assessment of his contemporaries was misplaced.
From the Paper "The Knight, model of chivalry and courtesy, having acquitted himself well in all of the major expeditions and conflicts of the half-century preceding the pilgrimage, assumes the role of exemplar of Middle English nobility. In modesty, gentleness and adherence to truth, he is established as the vessel for those noble human traits by which the reader will measure each of the others. ("He was a knight in all things to perfection.") The Knight has glorified himself in many battles, but is prudent in his speech and manner. He is thus portrayed as being praiseworthy without being proud. These characteristics make him clearly the most admired of the pilgrims, and his tale being first sets the bar by which all others shall be judged in both their tales and their telling."
Abstract This paper explains that, in his poem "The Canterbury Tales", Geoffrey Chaucer uses a combination of vivid descriptions and detailed character portraits, such as the Nun, the Monk and the Friar, to present his personal view while allowing the reader to judge these characters for themselves. The author points out that Chaucer carefully groups these pilgrims in the General Prologue according to similarities in their personalities and attitudes. The paper relates that, as these characters set out together on a journey of redemption, renewal and salvation, Chaucer focuses on their vices and ineffectiveness. The author underscores that the portraits of the Nun, the Monk, and the Friar, which contradict Christian views on greed and selfishness, reflect Chaucer's strong criticism of the church and of the institutionalization of religion.
From the Paper "It is the Monk's obsession with gold and riches which further add to Chaucer's criticism and concern for the church as a whole. The fact that Chaucer introduces the Monk's portrait, directly after the Nun, shows how similar they are in personality and values. One way that Chaucer criticizes the Monk's greed and selfishness is by Chaucer's description of his body size. He is described to be, "a lord ful fat and good point; his eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed, that stemed as a forneys of a leed." It is apparent that he was not living a life of fasting due to his large size."
Abstract This paper studies the following thesis that Chaucer used sex only for comedy despite the suggestions that he was a voyeur in his book "The Canterbury Tales". It studies Chaucer's personality, diction and medieval customs that do not support the idea that he was a voyeur and because of that included sex in his stories. Finally, it concludes that Chaucer was not a voyeur.
From the Paper "Sex is a word that easily gains attention in today's society. Today, marketing strategists will tell you that sex sells. Movies, sitcoms, commercials all employ sex to gain the attention of an audience. How much of a role, though did sex play in selling or gaining attention in the late 1300s when The Canterbury Tales were written? Did Chaucer use sex within The Canterbury Tales to add humor and intrigue his audience, or was he just a lonely man expressing his sexual desires within his work? The idea that sex was so proliferate within the Tales because Chaucer was a voyeur has long been debated. There seems to have been no conclusion over the years as to whether Chaucer really was a voyeur or whether or not he included sex within the tales for comedic purposes. Two of Chaucer's pilgrims, the Miller and the Reeve, both tell stories that center around sex. According to Root, "the point of strongest resemblance between the tales of the Miller and the Reeve is their extreme indecency"? (175). When one examines Chaucer's personality, his diction within these two tales, and how sex was viewed in Chaucer's time, it is clear that Chaucer's indecency was only for comedic purposes."
Abstract This paper illustrates how Chaucer gives women a voice, especially those who have been abused and denigrated by the males to whom they are meant to be subjective. The paper describes how Chaucer includes rape and lewd behavior, not as a balance for the virtue of women, but as a representation of reality. The paper contends that Chaucer exaggerates instances for the betterment of the story and as a means of parody. Among those things most often parodied is the social construct of gender roles for women.
Outline
Introduction
Background in Feminism
The Tales of Women
Conclusion
From the Paper "It cannot be denied that Chaucer's contribution to the literary process was considerable. In an age where the printed word was just coming into existence, his work was among the very few that was accessible to the masses as well as to the nobility. The fact that it was one of a few and was widely distributed and retold gives credence to the assertion that he was able to contribute to the development of the social structure in a positive manner. However, there is a second side to Chaucer's rendition of folklore: it reflects the paternalistic and near misogyny of the times through its representation of women."
A discussion on Geoffrey Chaucer's methods of introducing the Merchant, Clerk and Lawyer to the reader in the "General Prologue" of his "Canterbury Tales".
2,231 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 0 sources, 2004, $ 69.95
Abstract This paper examines how straight after he has described the three ecclesiastical figures in the "General Prologue", Chaucer goes on to describe those who work (the laborantes), the largest group in the Prologue. It shows how Chaucer generally has distaste for those emerging members of the middle-class in 14th Century England and treats the Merchant accordingly, with harsher than normal satire. It also looks at how more gentleness is applied to the assiduous Clerk and the Lawyer and how, in these portraits, Chaucer shows his finger to be on the pulse of a changing society.
From the Paper "Neither does Chaucer approve of the Merchant's morality. He breaks the law for profit and spends the money on lavish outfits, as Chaucer tells us in line 280, "in eschaunge sheeldes selle". He dealt in French ecus, which was illegal at the time, and used the ill-gotten gains to dress expensively, rather than pay off the debts he tries so hard to hide. His choice of attire may not seem too severe a sin, but when the Merchant's appearance is compared with the Knight (Chaucer's revered chivalric ideal figure), who wears humble garments with no hint of pretension, he seems a very despicable figure. In addition to this, he ignores religious orders, as he deals with "bargaines" and "chevissaunce", both of which were dealing in money, forbidden for Christians."
Abstract This paper attempts to understand and define the notion of pity, gentility, and nobleness in Chaucer's time as he wrote "The Canterbury Tales". The paper includes several scholarly sources which attempt to explain Chaucer's definition of what his idea of a noble or gentle man is. The paper includes observations from "The Knight's Tale", "The Merchant's Tale", "The Clerk's Tale" and "The Franklins' Tale", and all the sources from Chaucer are taken in Middle English.
From the Paper "In his essay "Chaucer and Pite," Douglas Gray records the relevant meanings of pity taken from the NED current to Chaucer's time as: (1) The quality of being pitiful; the disposition to mercy or compassion, clemency, mercy, mildness or tenderness . . . (2) A feeling or emotion of tenderness aroused by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another, and prompting a desire for its relief; compassion, sympathy . . . (3) a ground or cause for pity . . . and (4) a condition calling for pity (Gray, 179). Pitee is used in various contextual manners in Chaucer's The Knight's Tale, The Merchant's Tale, The Clerk's Tale, and The Franklins' Tale, but each time the word is used, it indicates feeling. Even when the word means grief in The Knight's Tale when the people mourn for Arcite's death- "Allas, the pitee that was ther"- rather than compassion or sympathy as it usually refers to, the word still appeals to feelings since grief involves intense emotions (2833). Like gentilesse, trouthe, or franchise, pitee is an important word for Chaucer since he often employs the word and in a way tries to define its essence through its repetitions."
This paper reviews and analyzes the similarities and differences in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Franklin's Tale" and Christoper Marlowe's "Hero and Leander."
1,820 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 0 sources, 2006, $ 58.95
Abstract The writer of this paper contends and explains how both authors use familiar images and themes to tackle complicated questions. This paper discusses the fact that both works of writing deal with the issue of marriage and the role of women, albeit in different contexts. This paper analyzes the manner in which both authors use historical mythical themes to illustrate and examine the concerns of the present day. Chaucer's writings occurred during a time when the relationship between men and women were often plagued by infidelities, due to the frequent absences on the part of the husbands, from their wives, while Marlowe's poem portrays marriage in a more romantic light. This paper discusses Marlowe's use of Greek mythology to address concerns of what constitutes an appropriate marriage. While Marlowe questions if and when young people should marry, Chaucer is far more concerned with who is the more dominant partner. This paper also analyzes Chaucer's use of personal narratives and prologues throughout his writings.
From the Paper "The intertextual use in Chaucer is more thematic than verbal. Chaucer calls upon the myth of the unavailable maiden not to defend virginity, as the woman is already married. Nor does she wish to transgress-rather, the idea of a woman attempts to get rid of him through the demanding of great tasks is combined with the convention of courtly love, where the common event of a military knight being called away from his wife and castle leaves her heart and body open to impingement by other men, usually of slightly lower orders such as squires, as in the case of "The Franklin's Tale." Like Marlowe deploys later with his use of Greek mythology, Chaucer deploys ancient myths and themes to illustrate 'real' truths, of the inevitable conflicts of divided loyalty between the genders bound by marital and feudal obligations."
