Geoffrey Chaucer's Contribution

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Contribution










To English Language and Literature




Lecture 4 (Concluding Lecture)

Chaucer’s Greatness









Chaucer’s greatness comes from his realistic representation of
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his own society and from his understanding of human nature.



His works include translations of philosophical works, essays on
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religious matters, romances, vulgar stories, comedies, moral


examples, saint lives, beasts fables, myths and history.



He mastered many literary forms ranging from short poems to
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epic. His works have themes such as gender relations, class


struggle, religious conflict and social competition. These themes

are still relevant even in our present day society.



Chaucer observed and understood his society from the upper
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class to the lower class and his observations, honesty,

intelligence and wit combined with his important position in


society have made his works classics of English Literature.

Chaucer’s Contribution to Language










● One of the most important contributions that Chaucer made is

his contribution to the English language. It was all due to his

treatment of the English language in his poetry that English

secured a prominent position among the languages of the world.


It was Chaucer, who preferred English language over Latin and
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French. It was a fashion of the time to use Latin and French

languages but Chaucer refused to adopt these languages for his

poetry.



The English language was in raw form, it was not as polished or
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full of vocabulary like Latin and French. But Chaucer

transformed the rough English dialect into a full-fledged

language of England.


The simple, adjustable, adaptable and expressive English
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language which Chaucer evolved soon dominated over the

complex Latin and French and English as a dominant language


removed these languages from English society.

Chaucer’s Contribution to Poetry:


From Allegory to Reality






● In Chaucer’s time, allegorical poetry was dominant. It was a type of
poetry that had no relationship with reality; it was filled with dreams,

symbols, courtly love and imaginary situations. Chaucer also followed

this trend and wrote allegorical poetry (Eg The Romance of the Rose).

But later on, his works began to connect with the reality he saw around

him.



● The Canterbury Tales is the product of this change. It deals directly with
life as it was during his time. The introduction of the pilgrims in

The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales  show us how society was at that

time. But the introduction is also a study in the various aspects of

human nature.



● Chaucer describes every character in their true colours. He does not
exaggerate or underrate any character; he is fair and honest in his

presentation. The realism that Chaucer introduced was sometimes

controversial; sometimes he was too honest in his portrayal of life as it

was. But this realism did have an impact on future writers and thus we

can see this in the novels Moll Flanders or Robinson Crusoe that did not

hesitate to show life as it was.

Chaucer’s Contribution to Poetry:


From Morals and Dreams to Irony and Humour





There were many other writers during Chaucer’s time who were writing in
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English. They were writing allegorical poems that talked of knights, dreams

and imaginary situations, some were writing intellectual works full of ideas

and some were also writing religious poems that gave strict moral teachings
and spoke of punishment and Hell. These poets were either too dreamy, too

intellectual or too moralizing and thus their poems were not well

appreciated.


Chaucer is different from the other poets because he does not engage too
●
much into dreams, intellectual debates or morals and ethics. He is very

realistic and at the same time very tolerant and friendly in his poetry. We
can take his introduction to the friar as an example. He makes humorous

ironic statements about the friar but doesn't judge him or give any morals.



● Chaucer was aware of the corruptions in his society. But he is never harsh,
unforgiving, bitter, or angry, and he never judges any of his fellow men for

their faults. He does not moralize and instead wants to peacefully coexists

with all human imperfections.


Chaucer was concerned about what was going on around him and instead
●
of blaming others, he sought to bring about awareness through humour and
irony, through comedy and laughter. Chaucer brought humor, wit, irony,

comedy and laughter into poetry.

Chaucer’s Contribution to the Novel:


The Art Of Characterization






It may seem strange that a poet can have an impact on fiction. But this is
●
the case with Chaucer, especially the impact on fiction that he brought


through his work The Canterbury Tales.


● It is The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales that is seen as the first piece of

fiction (even before Daniel Defoe, regarded as the first novelist). The main

element of The Prologue that qualifies as a piece of fiction is the

characterization of each pilgrim.


Each pilgrim is a member of their class in society so they display the
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qualities of that section of society. Eg The Knight is upper class so he

behaves noble and dignified.



● At the same time, each pilgrim is unique, an individual. Thus each pilgrim
has their own unique qualities, their unique appearance, habits and like and


dislikes. They are not just types of people from a particular class of society.


And finally is the realism used in The Prologue, that presents a realistic
●
picture of society of that time and shows the pilgrims as living breathing

individuals and not imaginary characters from a dream. This is Chaucer’s


unique contribution to fiction.

A Revision of the Lecture









Chaucer’s greatness comes from his realistic portrayal of the
●
people and society of his time and his understanding of human

nature.


He elevated the English language from a language of the poor to
●
the language of poets. The English language later went on to


replace Latin and French.


He broke away from the dreams and morals of allegorical and
●
religious poetry and introduced realism into his writings that

depicted life as it was. He also brought irony and humour into


literature.


His unique realistic characterization in The Prologue to the
●
Canterbury Tales had an impact on the progress and evolution of

fiction. Later writers such as Daniel Defoe introduced this


realistic characterization in their novels such as Moll Flanders.


The themes in his works, especially The Canterbury Tales, themes
●
such as gender relations and class conflict, are still relevant in


modern society.