Age of Chaucer

GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1340 1400)

Chaucer Literary Contribution 1. Chaucer is the father of English literature 2. Chaucer is the father of English poet 3. Chaucer is the morning star of renaissance 4. Chaucer is the first court poet in England 5. Chaucer introduced the heroic couplet 6. Chaucer introduced the Rhyme Royal 7. Chaucer introduced the Terza-rima 8. Chaucer introduced the Narrative form of poem 9. Chaucer introduced the Octosyllable couplets 10. Chaucer introduced Ottava Rhyma 11. Chaucer indebted Thomas Becket, Boccaccio Decameran. 12. Chaucer Rhyme line AB AB BCC 13. Chaucer is the grandfather of Novelist 14. Chaucer used last Midland Dialect Chaucers Works Chaucer works classification into three periods i. ii. iii. French period 1355 - 1370 Italian period 1370 - 1385 English period 1385 - 1400

French period: the first 15 years Chaucer dedicated himself to French period. Some collection of his poems in French periods i. ii. iii. iv. v. The Romaunt of the Rose The Book of the Duchess The complaint of pity The complaint of Mars An ABC etc., two major poems in French period i) The Romande-la Rose or The Roamant of the Rose(love theme), ii) The Book of the Duchesse (an elegy) Chaucer dedicated this poem to his patron John Gaunt wifes death (Duchess Blanche)

Italian period Again 15 years Chaucer dedicated himself to Italian period .some collection of his poems in Italian period (i) The Parliament of fowls (ii)The House of fame (Octosyllable couplets) (iii) The legend of good women (heroic couplets) (iv)Troilus and Criseyde (Narrative poem) English period Last 15 years Chaucer dedicated himself to English period. English period is one of the greatest outstanding performances. some collections of his poems in English period. (i) Prologue to the Canterbury tales (ii) The wife of Bath tale (iii) The Knight tales (iv) The nun priest tale (v) The pardoners Tale Characteristics of the Canterbury Tales Prologue to The Canterbury tales is one of the master pieces of Chaucer. It is an allegorical form of poem. Chaucer adapted from St.Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. Character of Canterbury tales A knight , a squier ,a yemon, a nun, a monk , a priest , a lawyer , a miller , a poor person , a sailor , a doctor , a weaver , a plowmen , a clergy man , a summoner , a pardoner , a Franklin Chaucer as an Innovative metrist Chaucer abandoned alliteration, which he jokingly called rim, ram, roaff and used end-rhymes. Under his influence, rhyme gradually replaced alliteration in English poetry Chaucers Prose Chaucer wrote two prose tales (i) The tale of Melibeus (ii) The parsons Tale on penitence Mathew Arnold criticism Mathew Arnold said, Chaucer has no high seriousness Chaucers contemporary Writers William Langland (1322 1408) William Langland was a popular writer. He was the author of Vision of William concerning piers the plowman. It criticized the Christianity. It is an allegory form of poem John Gower John Gower was a famous writer. His work classified into three periods (i) French period Speculum meditation (The mirror of Meditative). (ii) Italian period Vox clamentis (Voice of crying). (iii)English period Confessio Amantis (Confession of love) English period was the famous period of John Gower John Barbour John Barbour is the first famous Scottish poet. His famous poem Bruce Which deals with Scottish freedom struggle