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Alexander Pope as a representative of his age

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AQ Team (Hate War Love Peace)
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Alexander Pope as a representative of his age because as extensive and deep study of this book proves in the very starting of the poem that Pope’s main intention is to present the realistic experiences and facts of his own age. As a society is formed by the participation and collection of the people and it is through the medium of the proper study of mankind that we can be able to judge the true picture of any society of the world. As it is rightly observed in the very outset of the poem that Pope presents a realistic picture of 18th century England and the real life of aristocratic social life of England is drawn by Pope. As it is rightly said that this poem is a comment on the social and moral standards as well as on its literary and artistic trends and tastes so that we get a very clear cut glimpse of the real life of the Pope’s age.

From the very beginning of the poem, Pope proves to be a true representative of his time. The use of phrases like “amorous causes”, “dire offence”, and “mighty contests” set the moral tone. From the above mentioned three terms, we can analyse that the love affairs were the chief shaping forces of the interrelationship of lords and ladies of the 18th century English society. Same like this, we see that the “amorous causes‘ were the root causes of the “dire offence” resulting into “mighty contests” which in other words could be termed as the war of sexes. In the illustrations of varings aspects of the fashionable life of his contemporary society lies in the Pope’s real intention of dramatizing the theme of war of sexes.

Pope points out the trivial, petty and cheap activities of lords and the pretended purity and vanity of the ladies. The implication of such lines as “A well bred lord to assult a gentle belle” is that the gentlemen of 18th century England did not have lofty pursuits, ideals and higher aims of their life. The indulgence of the lords in the petty pursuits or activities such as cutting of the lock of hair from the head of some beautiful lady, shows that the lords and the ups of Pope’s time did not have sublime and elevated aims of life and the atmosphere of aimlessness and purposelessness of was prevailing in Pope’s time.

Similarly, we can say that the lines “could make a gentle helle reject a lord” and “in sofi bossoms dwell such mighty rage” point out that rejection from the ladies against these kind of petty, cheap and worthless actions was a deliberate attempt to publicise their chastity. In other simple words, it can be described that the life of the aristocracy in Pope’s time was full of pettiness and pretensions.

In addition to it, the Pope throws light on the daily routine of the young people of his age in a very realistic way because he tells us about their daily activities, pursuits, manners, absurdities, follies, foibles, etc. The very first routine which strikes us very much is that they used to wake up roughly round about 12 O’clock. The lap dogs used to like their faces and help them to shake off their drowsiness. The young youth of Pope’s age felt it a great problem to wake up from sleep in the early morning. If any one could get up early in the morning by chance then he felt all the long day bored and exhausted. So, to wake up from sleep was thus a great problem for them because it left them with ill-temper.

The favourite hobby of the ladies of that time was the preparation for toilets which was at the height of fashion at that time. When. Belinda appeared before the mirror; the sacred ceremony of dressing up was done by her maid servant named Betty who opened many caskets, bottles and boxes of different genis, colours and perfumes in order to decorate her body. Pope describes the combs of Belinda in a very realistic and impressive way because the combs just were made by tortoise shell and ivory. Puffs and powders were placed near the Bible and love-letters on the dressing table which showed the inner disorder of the fashionable people of the 18th Century of English society. The description of the dressing table is a representative description as it informs us about the formalities observed by the ladies of 18th Century England in order to make themselves attractive.

So we see that the society of the Pope’s time was a victim of worthless and baseless trends. The passions of doubts, suspicions, vanity, hypocrisy and ill nature of the 18th century English women are also depicted through the characters of Sylphs and Gnomes. In Canto II, Pope tells his readers that Sylph who was assigned the duty of protecting Belinda’s beauty and once predicted that she would meet some misfortune but he could not know what type of mishap could turn out to be. However, the Sylph hinted at one or two possibilities which might have happened. It might be that Belinda would lose her virginity or some delicate vessel would be cracked; either her honor or her new brocade would receive a stain; either she might forget to say her prayers or attend a masked ball; there was a possibility that either she would lose her heart or her necklace or her lap dogs. There is no doubt in saying that all these whims beautifully and vividly present the psyche of 18′” century English women,

Moreover, we see that the people of aristocratic classes of the Pope’s age were in the habit of going on trips. The subject matter of the poem also originated from a trip of Belinda which she made on the river Thames. At the very first glimpse, the lords were stunned by watching the beauty of Belinda. Many of them tried their best to attract her but she did not show any sign of yielding. Though she continually smiled yet she had not favoured anyone. In other words, it can be stated that flirtation was a common feature of the behaviour of ladies of that time. If on the one hand. The Pope describes the follies. absurdities and foibles of the ladies of his own time then on the other hand, he is not ignorant from the petty and absurd activities of men of his time. Through the characters of Lord Peter and Sir Plume, Pope satirizes the masculine nature.

An ultimate determinism of Lord Peter in which he wants to get Belinda’s lock of hair by any hook and crook manner, is described by Pope in a very realistic manner of Lord Peter’s true disposition. He is too much determined in his aim that for the fulfillment of his desire, he used to get up early in the morning and entreat every supernatural power but chicle to the god of love to help him in executing his purpose of getting the lock of hair from the head of pretty Belinda. He also built – an alter by collecting twelve French romances, half a pair of gloves and the love letters and lighted a fire and finally sighed into it in order to flame it. He prayed to the god of love so that he would be awarded with the prize of Belinda’s Lock which he would keep for a long time with himself. This very character of Lord Peter becomes the mouthpiece of men of Pope’s age. Through the character of Lord Peter, Pope makes fun of silliness, childishness and pettiness of the male characters of 18th Century English society.

As the place of Hampton Court was the center of all kinds of activities of both men and women of Pope’s age, so, after the boating trip, the lords and ladies paid a visit to this very place. The statesmen of that age used to gather and chat not only about the affairs of the country but also about the fashionable ladies of England. It is through the medium of Pope’s an of writing that he describes the place in such a manner that the whole picture of the 18th century becomes alive before our eyes. Pope describes every man and woman in his and her true disposition and nature, e.g. ladies are portrayed as moving their fans, laughing and exchanging their glances while lords took snuff. Pope also throws light on the true conditions of the judiciary of his own time and presents the true picture of the inner workings and activities of the courts. The jurymen were mocked because they announced decisions without analyzing or studying the cases. He also severely presented and ridiculed the judges who went to dine ignoring their official duty.

There,  these preoccupations in trivial matters and talks sufficiently show the limited mental approach of the aristocratic class. The hypocrisy of their life was further conveyed to us by the description of the game of Ombre. Belinda was very delightful when she won the game of Ombre and Pope had described her victory in a very heroic style because it became a symbol for the war of sexes.  Belinda who was the victim of shallowness, her heart was puffed up with joy and excitement. While she was taking coffee; Lord Petre found a very golden chance to cut the lock from her head. Belinda’s reaction to this was quite unusual and after watching all this, she became mad with anger. She shrieked so loudly that her shrieks could even be heard all around which made the inhabitants of the air tremble with fear. She cried more loudly than the women who lamented over the death of their lap-dogs or their husbands. In this way, we can say that the Pope openly and forcefully satirizes the woman’s shallowness, hollowness and aimlessness in a very realistic manner because for whom the breaking of the China vessel, or the death of the favourite lap dog was as serious as the death of a husband.

The technique of satire in Pope’s hand is not only to satirize the follies, absurdities, foibles, shortcomings and weaknesses of the aristocratic families but to present the realistic experiences of the life of his own age. Pope satirizes the woman’s shallowness for whom the breaking of a china vessel or the death of the favourite lap-dog was as serious as the death of a husband. Pope does not stop here but he goes on making fun of pretension and affectation in 18th Century English women. He introduces the spirit of melancholy; personified as Umbrial who at once went underground to the cave of spleen. Pope also mentions the bad spirits in his poem in order to portray the real ugliness of the women’s character. Tea-pots and Homer’s tripod shaped into women, suffering from various diseases. This is the height of Pope’s satire on English women who were fully indulged in the craze for fashion. Though outwardly they pretended to be chaste and pure yet inwardly they were ugly and shallow. When the Baron was shouting · with joy, Belinda requested Sir Plume, a friend of Lord Petre to bring back her lock and in this way the lock was lost.

To conclude this above discussion, we can say openly and forcefully that the picture which we get from the realistic experiences of 18th century, bind us to say that it was a sick society where the values were so confused that the importance was given more to a woman’s honour; was not more than that of a China’s jar. Pope himself suggests the remedy for all these ailments of the society in the poem and suggests that its health depends on Clarissa’s appeal to Belinda for good sense and good humour. There is no doubt in saying that Pope has realistically given a graphic picture of the society of his time in the Rape of the Lock.

One thing is worthy to note that the picture which we gather or get from the study of this poem, reflects only a particular aspect of 18th century life. Pope has so vividly, openly and realistically drawn the ideas that it seems that the ideas emerged by the pen of Pope were so apt, authentic and powerful that they penetrate into the hearts of the readers and we are compelled to say that “the pen is mightier than the sword”. This very old saying is aptly applied to Pope’s own art of writing.

Geoffrey Chaucer as a representative of his age

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AQ Team (Hate War Love Peace)
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Geoffrey Chaucer as a representative of his age

Geoffrey Chaucer as a representative of his age because as we analyse Chaucer’s work of Canterbury Tales, we come to know that in his prologue to the “Canterbury Tales” Chaucer has proved himself as a great realist in his approach of presenting the trends, customs, attitudes, habits, rites, cultures and flaws of life of his age.

He has very superbly and excellently given us a very fine picture of 14th century. A very true and real picture of common as well as upper life in England is revealed to us by Chaucer’s art of presenting the realistic social and religious conditions of the country. He was always of the views that literature always reflected the age and time in which it was written and produced. This is the very idea of him which makes his work of the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales as a mouthpiece of his age.Chaucer is equal to Pope and Tennyson in presenting the ideas, traditions, hopes and aspirations of the people of his own age.

It is the very plus point of his art and life that he had been living among the people of various sorts and gathered a lot of experience about life in a practical way. This is the very experience of life which later helped him in his power of observation and he had described his characters so realistically and vividly that we could almost reconstruct 14th Century England through them. As it is acknowledged and observed that all the characters are the mouthpiece or representatives of different professions; they reflect the varied aspects of the me of those times leaving only the royal on the one hand and the lowest life on the other. Though there are many other evident events which had been happened in 14th Century yet ‘Black Death’ was such accident all which was the most important event of the 14th Century which had shaken the entire life of the country.

The portrayal description of the ‘Doctor of Physic’ presents the true conditions of that age which were prevailing in Chaucer’s age due to the negligence of so-called doctors and physicians. In the prologue, some light is being thrown on the poor conditions of medical science through the character of ‘Doctor of Physic’. For example, 

“In al this world he was their noon hym like to speak of Phisik and of surgery”. 

Apparently he proves himself to be having mastery of the medical field but actually the basis of his scientific knowledge was astronomy i.e., astrology. He was actually such a personality that was much attracted or allured by gold and other worldly ornaments. The thing of which he was most careful was money which he had collected in sufficient quantity during the (plague) epidemic in which millions of people were suffering and finally lost their lives. Here Chaucer rightly describes his character in the following words!

“For gold in Phisik is a cordial’ therefore he lovde gold in special”. 

Tradewise speaking, the conditions of present England were different from England of Chaucer’s time because there were many great landed proprietors and “worth vavasours” who like Chaucer’s Frankline — a very saint Julian or pattern of hospitelity – knew not what was what to be,

“Without bakemeat in the house”. 

In other words we can say that these above mentioned characters apparently show themselves as men of giving the services to their guests at the best levels but actually they were not as such as they exposed themselves.

Another very prominent trait of Chaucer’s age is that the English mariners were excelling too much in their trade like the shipman in Chaucer’s characters:

“He knew well alle the hevens, as they were,

From Gootland to the cape of Fynstere,

And every cryke in Britaingne and in speyne”. 

England of that time was becoming commercially rich and prosperous and the classes of tradesmen and merchants were also becoming economically rich that resulted in the new achievement for them because now their voices could also be listened to in the affairs of the nation. In other words, they also started participating in the national affairs at govt levels. The ‘plotis’ merchant represents this new rising class. We also see that a trend of industrialization had also prevailed over the people of agricultural class and they were converting their lands, farmhouses and fields into industries. In this way, the new industries of silk, glass-making and brass were becoming quite popular.

This very trend gave an expansion to the business community. The other classes of craftsmen as The Carpenter, The Haber, The Weaver, The Dyer and The Tapicer , were prominent and all of those had become fairly prosperous. As far as the character of knight is concerned, is the most respected figure or character in the company of other characters. It is through the medium of Chaucer’s Tales that we come to know that in the later half of the 14th Century, Knighthood was losing its importance because of the changing trends of the age. The distinction between the high and low was becoming decreased and now the ‘Host’ could also walk with shoulder to shoulder and also sit in the parliament side by side with the knights of the shire. The later effects of the Plague (Black Death) made the life difficult for the poor and middle classes because the prices of edibles and daily used things were increased.

This very inflation resulted in the revolution which was known as the ‘Peasants Revolt’. Though that revolt uplifted the standard of farmer class and they were being given their basic rights of life yet there were some conservative workers who still believed in living a peaceful life, and paying able due respect to the authorities. It is the character of “The Ploughman” in the tales which is the true mouthpiece of true laborers.

Apart from this, we also see that there were two languages – one was English and second was French which were being popularized among the communities of Chaucer’s age and finally there erupted a new confusion of a new fusion of two races. This resulted in a new language of England because the lower classes were anxious to learn French but they were unable to pronounce or articulate or understand its true meanings while the upper classes were fond of speaking French as their mother tongue. So, both these two upper and lower classes created a new peculiar mixture of French and the native tongue. This confusion or issue was solved in 1362, when English was declared to be the language of the courts. The Frerich was still the language of the aristocrats. In this connection, we can quote the example of the character of Prioress who was really conscious about this and she tried her best to speak French in its true articulation but was unable to pronounce it correctly.

“And Frenssh she spak full faire and fetisly For 

French of Parys was to hire unknown”.

The very prominent changing of the 14th Century was the advent of the Renaissance which was highlighted in the “Prologue” through the character of the Clerk of Oxford as it presented the new tendency of the Renaissance learning and spirit of gaining new trends of worldly affairs in order to become prominent in the society.

“But al be that he was a philosopher”. Another very remarkable aspect of 14th Century life was an extravagance of dresses. Upper classes of Chaucer’s time were very fond of wearing costly and fashionable dresses which also served as a distinction between the lower and the upper classes. Talking about the horses of the Knights, Chaucer presents a true picture of the Renaissance period. The Knight’s horses were decorated or dressed with more finery than were the knights themselves. In all the young characters, it was young or youthful squire who was the most showy and Chaucer rightly utters;

“Embroidered was he as it were a meade. 

All full of freshest flowers, white and red”. 

In addition to all these, we also gather a true picture of religious conditions which were being prevailed in that time. Before the starting of Renaissance spirit in the 14 Century, there were already signs of harmony between dogma and intelligence. Most of the religious characters are the embodiment of the sins of flesh and avarice. The picture of ecclesiastical figures which Chaucer presented through the religious characters, was not flattering one.  Ignoring their true duties and responsibilities to their religion and Church, they had willfully and willingly become the victim of profigacy; forgetting their original role of poverty and of labour.

Another very prominent class of the society to which a man’s life is incomplete, is the section of women. In his Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer had flighty thrown light on the women’s conditions of his age. In the Prologue, he has presented three ladies, The Prioress, a Nun and the Wife of Bath; These three ladies are the true representatives of the women of his time. Reading the characters of these three ladies in the Prologue, we become able to gather an overall view of the activities, trends, fashions, etc. of the life of the female section of Chaucer’s time. Talking about the conditions of the inns of his times and the table manners of the pilgrims, he says that inns were situated at some distance and beer was also found in other places than in these inns.

Having all the above analysis in mind, we come to the conclusion and say it vehemently and openly that Chaucer himself was a realist and he revealed the truth about life as he saw it. Because before Chaucer, the writers were lost in the world of dreams and allegories but it was Chaucer who changed that trend and shook off the limits and shackles of the dreamy allegory and came out with healthy observation and experiences of life which were unfolding before his eyes. There is no doubt in saying that all this discussion proves him as a great chronicler of his age and he reflects his times not in fragments but completely. He laid the foundation of a new humanism and the dawn of the Renaissance. One thing is very worthy to note here that at the same time, he openly, realistically and vividly brings before us the traditions and conventions which his age had inherited from the middle ages.

So we can say here without any doubt that Chaucer is also a great representative of his age because through his art of writing, he has presented the body and the soul of the society of his times. We also observed that there is left no field or branch of life or colour of life which these thirty pilgrims have not covered because these thirty pilgrims cover the long range of 14th Century English society. Chaucer himself presented only that which was felt and experienced by these thirty pilgrims. It is really Chaucer’s great art of writing that first of all he has all the pros and cons of the action of his character then he presents a masterpiece of poetry through character delineation. Having plunged into the deepest ocean of time; he throws light on its influence on the people of the age. There is no exaggeration in the saying that he has drawn his characters so realistically and truly that sometimes we feel ourselves present in the 14th Century, travelling from London to Canterbury, along with the pilgrims of Geoffrey Chaucer, visualizing and observing all the passing scenery, sights and happenings of the life of his age as he presented in the tales.

How Geoffrey Chaucer proves As A Humorist Poet

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AQ Team (Hate War Love Peace)
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Geoffrey Chaucer As A Humorist

Geoffrey Chaucer As A Humorist Poet is carefully presented his characters in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, we come to know that Chaucer has a great command over using the technique of humour and satire. As it is rightly said that a humorist is a great humanist because he loves mankind in spite of its foibles and weaknesses. His heart is always tender and sympathetic towards other human beings, because if he points out their foibles, shortcomings weaknesses, vices, frivolities, absurdities and oddities then he does so only for the reformation of their follow beings and that satirist is called a great satirist, being respected and honored by every one.

So, there should be no malice, spite or animosity in his attitude of a great humorist and a satirist. Their attitude is that of benevolence and tolerance. Chaucer was basically a born humorist. He was actually the master of humour and irony. There is no doubt in saying that he was the first true humorist in English Literature, and it was by his humour that Chaucer had won a permanent place in the hearts of his readers. The uniqueness and sublimity of his art of writing really and mainly depend on his great art of using the technique of humour and satire. Actually humour was the stuff and substance of his entire mentality and the essence of his art.

It was humour that made his poetry a fountain of joy. He was a great master of humor and belonged to the race of the great humorist of English literature and was rightly in the company of Shakespeare, Fielding and Dickens. It is one of the great traits , and qualities of Chaucer’s art of humour which gives amazing and superb life like touch to them. He may be regarded as the first great English humorist.

There is no doubt in terming him as the first writer to reveal a genuine sense of humour and it is that humour which still exists in our present age in its pure and genuine condition and we recognize it today.Having all the great characteristics of a great humorist; his faculty of humour has a healthy effect and signs in the life of various characters. He observes the absurdities, oddities and foibles in human society with great interest and a smile. These are two traits of catholicity and tolerance of spirit which make him a great humorist of his age. As far as the matter of the Prologue is concerned, it is full of humorous illustrations and honour appears abundantly in various portrayals of the characters. It is very noteworthy to point here that Chaucer’s humour in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales is mostly ironic and satirical. We have very apt examples of pure humour in it also.

A pure humour is such a kind of humour in which the motive is laughter for its own sake. Like Shakespeare and Fielding, Chaucer’s humour is born of a strong commonsense and a generous sympathy and it is seen in the original form in the Prologue. As there are some of the facts which are quite trivial in their true nature but all of these become very interesting and amusing because of the way. in which they are told. For example, the squire’s locks which weighing 10 lbs, the Reeve’s thin legs, Franklin’s weakness for sharp sauce etc.

As we have already mentioned and described that a great and true humorist is always a man of sympathetic heart. Chaucer’s humour is always sympathetic, except in his handling of the Monk and the Friar. In his handling of the Wife of Bath, he reminds us of Shakespeare’s treatment of Sir Toby in Twelfth Night. In other words, we can say that he makes us appreciate a character even when laughing at it.

Spontaneity is another great quality of Chaucer’s  humour because his humour is natural and spontaneous. His humour does not appear in the result of self made calculated efforts but it erupts from him in a spontaneous expression of his inner-self. Therefore, it has unmistakable marks of ease, spontaneity, naturalness and effortlessness. Chaucer does not only mark the other characters as the victim of his humour and satire but he is always ready to sustain a jest over at his own cost. He feels a great delight in raising a gentle smile at himself when he speaks of his fancied shortcomings, poverty and refers to himself as a simple unlettered man. He rightly utters about himself in this regard in the following remarks:

“My wit is short, ye may well understand”.

The element of paradoxically is very much prominent in Chaucer’s art of humour and satire because he says something but suggests just the opposite. Though he speaks with his own tongue and often seems to be praising some other characters yet his praise is often criticism in disguise which can be termed as left handed compliment. In this connection, a very evident example of the Monk can be quoted to prove the above mentioned statement. According to Chaucer, a Monk does not attack any importance to the text, which condemns hunting and who enjoins the other Monks to lead a simple life. In the very next breath, Chaucer slyly adds.;

“And I sayde his opinionn, was good” .

In addition to this, Chaucer’s satire is good humored and well meant. Chaucer’s humour is very much closely linked or connected with satire and irony. But his intention is not much correct through satire as to add fancy to his humour. Most of the time, he uses irony only to portray satirical portraits which makes us laugh and delight.

As far as the matter of satire in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales is concerned which is oftenly directed against religious corruption and against women and incidentally against love and marriage. The element of a farcical satire is very much observed in the case of the Wife of Bath. In the depiction of the ‘Wife of Bath”, he rightly utters:

“She was a worthy woman al hir lyue, 

Housebounds at ckirche dore she hadds five, 

Of remedies of love she knew her – channce, 

For she coulde of that art the old daunce”

It becomes very subtle and implicit in the case of prioress. Here Chaucer speaks in the very satirical manner and says:

“At metewely-tuuglit was she with alle, 

She leet no more from her lippes falle”.

So, we see that in the case, of handling religious characters, his satire becomes more serious because it raises the question of Chaucer’s own attitude towards religion. The satirical tone is ever present in the character of the Monk.

To conclude this topic, it can be said openly and , vehemently that his satire even becomes more : poignant and sheer in the case of religious characters. And Geoffrey Chaucer As A Humorist Poet outstandingly presents the fun facts with the help art of characterization with realistic approach. As in the case of the character of Summoner, he utters ‘ in the following words.

“A fewe terms hadde he two or thre, 

That he had lernd out of som decree, 

No wonder is, he herde it al the day; 

And eek ye knowen well how that å jay Kan elepen

watte as wel as kan the peop.

What is art of Characterization of Chaucer in the Prologue Canterbury Tales

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AQ Team (Hate War Love Peace)
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Chaucer Art Of characterization Pilgrims In The Prologue

Chaucer Art Of characterization Pilgrims In The Prologue elaborates, When we study English literature in depth, we come to know that there had been many great writers who had also presented their works of literature by using their excellent and unique art of characterization. Characterization is a word which is originated from the word character and there are the Characters or agents or figures through which an action of drama, novel or any other literary composition or work, becomes alive on the stage.

If there had not been these agents or characters in any drama or novel of any literature of the world then the whole of the action of these mentioned literary works would not have been shaped into a live presentation. For as the matter of Geoffrey Chaucer is concerned, he is next to Shakespeare and the greatest delineate of character in English Literature. Chaucer has such kinds of traits or qualities in his art of characterization which make his art of characterization unique and superb. In his great quality of presenting a wide variety of characters, he has often been compared with Dickens but the fact is different because Dickens had his specialization in presenting odd and abnormal characters while Chaucer’s characters were supremely normal human beings. On the basis of this great quality, he was rightly called the first great painter of character in English Literature. As we know that he introduces thirty pilgrims, representing all types and shades of 14th century society. That’s why his characters are rightly called the greatest characters of their period.

The very quality or uniqueness which strikes our imagination is that the Prologue proves to be a veritable picture gallery. As it has rightly been termed as a veritable picture gallery, or a grand procession; what Chaucer proposes to do in the Prologue is;

‘To telle you all the condition 

Of ech of hem, so as it seemed me.

In other words, it can be said that he wants to delineate the pilgrims before his readers as he himself thinks of them. Another very striking feature of his characterization is that all his pilgrims are so vividly drawn that they create a permanent impression on our mind and their outlines never blur. The details of their physical appearance, their social status and character are so artistically presented before our eyes that the whole man or woman comes alive before our eyes and we find ourselves in a position to examine each character in detail.

It is also said rightly by some critics that Chaucer’s characters are not only types but also individual because each of them is characterized individually, morally and beautifully. But at the same time, other critics of English literature also acknowledge them as individuals as well as types. The corruption of the church is exemplified by the Friar, Monk, Pardoner and Summoner. As we look at the characters of Reeve and Miller, we come to know that both these are individualized by their dishonesty. Their dishonesty is typical of the age. However, none of these characters remains merely a “type”. Now let us we have the glimpses of physical beauty of some of the characters in which first of all we see that Reeve has long and thin legs, the Summoner has a face full of pimples while the Pardoner is made prominent by his lanke or loose yellow strands of hair. All these mentioned typicality of such characters mark them as individual representatives of their own classes.

If on one hand, the Miller, the Reeve and the Cook exhibit coarseness of physical beauty then on the second hand the vulgarity of each is different from that of another. All of these religious characters are equal partners in sharing the corruption of the church. The summoner, the Pardoner, the Friar and the Monk maintain a separate individuality in their specific brand of corruption. In simple words, we can say that though all are busy in in corruption yet the way of corruption being adopted is different.

It is also one of the best traits of Chaucer art of characterization that he always uses a contrast in his characterization. To simplify it, we can say that the good and the bad rub shoulders together. On the one side we see that Chaucer presents a paragon of virtue in the characters of the Parson and the Plougman and on the other side we see the monsters of vice in the characters-of the Reeve, the Miller and the Summoner. The knight is foil to his son. The squire of the Oxford presents his lust for beauty and worldly ornaments but he is at the same time very opposite of the merry, making

monk. In short, we can say that all types of good or bad characters are presented maintaining the distinctive features of contrast.

Though there had been many writers in English Literature who had a great art of vivid description in their art of characterization yet it was Chaucer’s art of vivid description which made him entirely different from those all great writers of the past. It is Chaucer’s power of vivid description which has made his characters superb. While setting the minute and subtle details; he gives a touch here and a touch there and we being the readers or viewers become able to have an overall inner and outer sketch of a whole character. What a more charming lover is there in all English poetry than the young squire?

“He was as fresshe as if the month of May, 

 He sleep Ma more than dooth a nyghtynale, 

With lokkes curulle as they were layed in press “.

These are such kind of subtle touches which shape his characters alive and all of them take the form of humour or irony usually. This was the very quality of Chaucer’s art which was lacking in the art of rhetoricians. The portraits of Friar, Monk, Prioress and the Wife of Bath can be quoted in this regard or point.

The very distinctive quality of his art of characterization is that his approach is an objective one. The element of objectivity is maintained throughout the book. Chaucer portrays his characters objectively, impartially and disinterestedly. In this respect, he has a very close affinity with Shakespeare and Fielding. His broad humanity and sympathies are for all the characters; whether they are noble or vulgar, pious or the sinner, just or the unjust. All this proves that his style is not subjective.

Chaucer also makes use of colours in his art of characterization and there are splashes of colour which arrest the eyes as we have a glance at various portraits. Though these colourful dresses of the characters serve as a distinction between low and the high classes yet we are allured or captivated by the embroidered gown of the squire, the green coat and hood of the Yeoman. The Prioress’ rosary is made of green beads. In addition to all these, we also see the colourful appearances of several characters. The Summoner had brows, balk and a piled beard. In short, it can be stated that Chaucer also depicts or reveals his characters by their colours, dresses and appearances.

Chaucer does not present a character in a quick and rapid manner. He acts just like a painter and depicts a character in a very gradual manner by adding line after line till the image takes clear shape. He does not give all the details at once stretch, e.g. the ‘Wife of Bath‘ is slightly deaf and she thinks that others are also like her. That’s why she thinks that every other person also listens loudly. In addition to this, she has also. a very good taste of wearing gorgeous and colorful dresses, Chaucer also mentions her taste of wearing fashionable dresses including her handkerchief. Then he talks about her experiences of married life and describes her command over experiences in the affairs of love.

Satire and irony are such striking features which uplift the uniqueness of Chaucer’s art of characterization at a very high level.

There is no doubt in saying that almost all the religious characters except the Parson are the victim of mockery and ridicule. Chaucer describes the fashionable dress manners of the Prioress in a very ironic manner. Friar had forgotten his real religious duties and responsibilities and performed many marriages of young women at his own cost. Here, we find Chaucer unfolding and unmasking the greed, immoralities, absurdities and the hypocrisy of various characters.

It is rightly said that Chaucer always wrote about people and not about puppets or in alive characters. He also wrote about the characters as he saw them. We never feel that he is talking about puppets; such as Harry Bailly. It’s Chaucer’s delight in normality that is freek-free; his characters are perfectly life-like. Only the Wife of Bath seems larger and louder than the life, but she is a special case. 

So, we can also say that Chaucer’s art of character painting has won a wide acclaim or appreciation in the Prologue. It has been said that of all the character writers in English Literature from Ben Jonson to Wordsworth, none is so great as Chaucer is. These following words of various critics can vividly and openly state the true great position of Chaucer in the art of characterization. There is an open air atmosphere about his characters’: “His people are always on the move”. Never do they become shadowy or lifeless. They shout and swear, and laugh or weep, interrupt the storyteller, pass compliments, and in general behave themselves, as we might expect them to be in the dramatic circumstances of the narrative.

Having all the pros and cons of above discussion in mind, now, we can say in the concluding remarks that Chaucer art of characterization is much like a novelist, a dramatist and a humorist and he is equal in the lane of both Fielding and Shakespeare. He is really a master of character portrayal in his Canterbury Tales. There is no doubt in saying that he is rightly considered as the supreme narrative poet of his country and his Canterbury Tales is an outstanding and an excellent monument of his genius as a narrator of characters. It is his great art.of. character narration which uplifts his level above from all the other writers of his age. 

Important Reference & Explanation The Canterbury Tales

By
AQ Team (Hate War Love Peace)
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The Canterbury Tales Important Reference & Explanation

Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales Important Reference & Explanation is describe in detail below.

The Canterbury Tales Important Reference No.1

The Canterbury Tales Important Reference No.1

 Explanation with Reference to the Context: 

These lines have been taken from the character of “The Friar”, written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Though he had been authorized to hear and handle the others’ daily matters and affairs of the time yet he had special authority to hear confessions. He himself asserts that he has great authority to hear confessions. He always showed a great interest in listening to the confessions and tried his best to grant a pleasant solution. In the given lines under reference, Chaucer points out by highlighting Friar’s indulgence in worldly pursuits after ignoring his real assigned duties. In spite of granting the fair and pleasant absolution to the confessions of the common people and low class sinners, he was much interested in having relations with big landowners of the time. Moreover, he was more busy and interested in having illegitimate and unfair relations with the rich and aristocratic women of the city rather than dealing or handling the matters of the sinners. In this way, he used to get huge money from the big landowners and rich ladies after hearing their confessions. In short, the picture, drawn by Chaucer in the selective lines shows that the friar of “The Canterbury Tales”  was absolutely greedy and lusty, who misused his authority to hear the confessions of the common people and common sinners.

Reference No 2.

The Canterbury Tales Important Reference No 2.

Explanation with Reference to the Context: 

These lines have been extracted from the character of “Parson” in “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales” written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Among all the other religious characters, Parson was Chaucer’s idealized portrait. He was not like other ecclesiastical characters who let their followers sink into the depths of the sin. He even did not try to make money by working as a priest to some of the guilds. He always lived in his own parish and looked after his followers well so that they might not fall prey to the enemies of the church. In other words, it can be said that he was not a parson of getting money from others only. It was also a trend in the Middle Ages that the clergymen often hired out their office as parson to others for money and they often left their own parishes for a long time. Rich people found chapels and engaged priests there to say masses for their near and dear ones. Chaucer’s Parson is rightly called an idealized portrait because through his character, Chaucer offers an indirect comment on the wide-spread corruption in the church of his times. The ideal parson is to serve as a foil to the corrupt ones because he has not betrayed Christianity’ for worldly profit. 

Reference No 3.

The Canterbury Tales Important Reference No 3

Explanation with reference to the context: 

These lines have been taken from the character of “Wife of Bath” in “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales”, written by Geoffrey Chaucer. A deep analysis of these lines shows as Chaucer says that she is a cloth maker of excellence. Her productions surpass even those of Ghent and Ypres, famous towns for cloth in the whole Europe. Chaucer further tells us that there had been no woman in the parish who should take precedence over her in giving money to the collection box in church. If, by any chance, any woman did precede the wife of bath on such an occasion then she could become angry enough to lose all pity and charity. Being a woman of fimm mind; she would not hold any other woman preceding her at making offerings in the church. If any woman did so, she became so angry that other people went up to the altar to make the offering in the order of social rank Actually, she took precedence over others in her parish because of her riches.

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