THE AGE OF CHAUCER (1350-1400)
1. CHAUCER (1340? -1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer was the son of a merchant. He was born in London, though the date of birth is uncertain. He was an illiterate, but enthusiastic reader who spent his boyhood on Thames Street near the river. In 1357 he saw military service abroad where he was captured. After returning to England he becomes the squire of the royal house. In 1378 his literary power saw rapid development and had a prominent Italian literary influence. He died in 1400 and was the first poet to be buried in Westminister Abbey.
Chaucer's poetry is divided into three stages-
1. The French 2. The Italian 3. The English
The French poem is the earliest modelled upon the French original. The poem is immature and clumsy in style. It is "Romaunt of the Rose". His other poems include- "The Book of the Duchesse", "Compleynt unto Pite", An A.B.C, and " The Compleynt of Mars".
The Italian shows a definite advance in the handling of the meters and technical ability. Works including- "Anelida and Arcite", "The Parliament of Foules", and "Troilus and Criseyde"; it is Chaucer's best narrative works. The third great poem is "Legend of Good Women". This poem is the first that has heroic couplets.
The English group contains the work of the greatest individual accomplishment. "The Canterbury Tales" is a masterpiece and one of the most famous works in all literature.
Features of Chaucer's poetry:-
(a) He is the first who has had no competitor for a hundred years. This causes his work to have a unique position.
(b) His observation is very important. He was a man who freely mixed all types of mankind.
(c) He has great narrative power. Despite many lacking in his works- "Troilus and Criseyde", and "The Knight's Tale" contain many admirable narrative passages.
(d) In the matter of poetical technique English literature owes much to Chaucer. He virtually imported the decasyllabic line from France. The seven-line stanza a b a b b c c has become known as a Chaucerian line or rime royale.
2. William Langland (1332(?)- 1400(?))
He was born in Shropshire in about 1332. His early life lived in the fields as a shepherd. One of his poems "The Vision of William Concerning Piers the Plowman" appears in the manuscript in three forms. These forms are respectively the A B and C texts. The A text is the shortest, being about 2500 lines long, The B is more than 7200 lines, and C which is clearly based upon B is more than 7200 lines. The style of the poem has a sombre energy, an intense but crabbed seriousness, and an austere simplicity of treatment.
3. John Gower
John Gower is a man of means and belongs to a good Kentish family. His date of birth is uncertain but he died in 1408 and was buried in London. He produced three chief works. His first poem "Speculum Meditantis", is written in French, the second "Vox Clamantis", is composed in Latin, and the third "Confessio Amantis", is written in English.
4. John Barbour (1316(?) - 95)
He is the first Scottish poet who claims our attention. He was born in Aberdeenshire and studied both at Oxford and Paris. His great work is his "Bruce" (1375).
PROSE WRITERS-
1. Sir John Mandeville wrote and published a French book of travels between 1357 and 1371. This French work was very popular, and it was translated into several languages.
2. John Wycliff or Wycliffe(1320-84) was born in Yorkshire about the year 1320. He was educated at Oxford, took Holy orders, received the living of Lutterworth in Leicestershire(1374), and took a prominent part in the ecclesiastical feuds of the day. He died peacefully in 1384. One of his great works is the translation of the Bible. Wycliffe's English style is not polished.
Source-
History of English Literature:-W.J Long & Edward Albert.