English Literature GCE A/L: Poets and Poetry

Geoffrey Chaucer

English poet in the 2nd quarter of 1374 Chaucer lived in a 'whirl of Prosperity'. He became a Justice of Peace for Kent. "He was also appointed as a clerk of the various works at various royal palaces" "The development of his genius has been attractively summed up as comprised in three stages, French, Italian and English" He was in touch with the best French Poets, acquainted with Petrach's Sonnets. As a great technical master of poetry his fame and popularity remained unshaken.

Chaucer's most popular work is Canterbury Tales Borrowing both stanza forms and "decasyllabic couplets" chaucer's music like that of his French master and his successors "depend very largely on assigning to every syllable its full value and move especially on the due pronunciation of the final" "Death of the Three Rioters", an extract from Canterbury Tales, a series of stories told by twenty seven pilgrims travelling to Canterbury to "enliven themselves." Each member was supposed to have told two stories one, on the way to Canterbury and one on the way back.

"Death was taken as a retribution for sin", The three Rioters symbolizing the sinful deeds of people and how they suffer for their sins. Avarice is highlighted by the poet in a symbolic manner through Gold Coins. This is a moral story in dialogue form presented in a pleasing manner and "enrapture an audience" different techniques used by chancer rouse the curiosity enhancing the flow of the poem.

The poet's anxiety to innovate good will, sympathy and understanding in the hearts of all human beings. Rhythm an Rhyme creating the background for the tale to be told in narrative style inculcating in the hearts of the listeners and readers the evil effects of Avarice.

"He took a bottle full of poison

And drank and his companion nothing loth

Drank from it also and they both perished,"

Chaucer's genius being a result of the influence of French poets. His translation of "Le Roman de la Rose" a poem written by Guillaume. Lorris was translated into English by Chaucer.

Chaucer's A,B,C, a poem in honour of the Blessed Virgin, with the stanzas beginning with the"successive letters of the alphabet" chancer's "Canterbury tales" being his attraction he failed to complete the "Legend of Good Women" the "Prettiest Specimen" of his prose is his short prologue in the prose "addressed to 'Litel Lowis My Son,' a treatise on the use of Astrolabe?

"The portrait of Chaucer with the affection of his disciple, Thomas Hoccleve, caused to be painted in a copy of the latter's Regement of Princess" showing him as an old man, "white hair, fresh complexion, grey eyes, straight nose, a grey moustache and a small double pointed beard".

His dress and hood being black and carrying a string of beads in his hands, Thus reflecting his ardent love and devotion to the creater.

Mrs. C. Ekanayake,
Retd. Specialist Teacher Eng.,
St. Anne's College,
Kurunegala