Chaucer The Father Of English Poetry English Literature Essay

Chaucer The Father Of English Poetry English books EssayChaucer is generally considered as the father of English poetry smell specifically at The Canterbury floors we can see that Chaucer attempted to portray a depiction of society as he knew it. It is also evident that he attempted to provide his own input on his society. Chaucer distances himself from the comments made in The Canterbury Tales as he tells his audience Blameth nat me (Chaucer, 2006, line 73) if they are to take law-breaking from what the Miller says as it is not Chaucer, himself, saying it, he simply has overly repeat what was said. This is a very clever technique that Chaucer uses so that he cant be faced with controversy or come on a lower floor attack from any one as he has only reiterate this tale.Chaucer would contain had to ensure that his work did not offend those in the church, beholding as the church was the only place where literature was preserved. However Chaucer peacerained attacks society, and the greed of the church amongst other friendly issues, by not in person saying it, he skilfully distances himself from the issues he highlights in this tales. Chaucer also manages to tactfully deal with these issues, resulting in highly enjoy fitted tale, which offers a social commentary on a society faced with corruption and hypocrisy.The Canterbury Tales was indite in a time where an audible, social reading of literature (Ford, 1976, p86) was preferred, this is possibly because of the twine that the church had on Medieval Literature. One of the main reasons for this may be due to the church, as they supplied the only form of education, everyone at church would have been listened to preachers, and as preaching itself had through come out the Middle Ages a great captivate on other literature of all sorts (Ford, 1976, p85) it is not unreasonable to make bold that this is why oral forms of literature were preferred in the gallant period. The Canterbury Tales were written as thought hey were universe spoken aloud, so they fit in well with this medieval trend. The language and diction used in 2 The Millers Tale and The wife of Bath conforms to a plain, low style (King, 2000, p47). Chaucers controlling sentence structure is paratactic (King, 2000, p47) with a rhyme scheme consisting of couplets of iambic pentameters (King, 2000, p47). The intent of Chaucers use of language, allows both tales to be easily read aloud for a group of people, rather than bonnie read alone. Aware of his language choices, Chaucer will have also been attempting to make the background story to The Canterbury Tales seem authentic. The vote counter is telling these stories on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, so as we read the tales to ourselves we can get a sense of the pilgrimage, and the way these tales would have been told.Chaucer uses The Canterbury Tales as a social commentary. Through the general prologue we can see how he feels about safe and sound sections of society by making individuals represent whole groups of medieval life (Bunting, 2003, p6). These representations slowly begin to build up an wide view of Chaucers life in the medieval period. The Canterbury Tales is famous for upsetting the social hierarchy. Despite the conventions, after the Knights tale is told at the very beginning the rest of the tales are not told in order of those with the higher social standing, as would be conventionally expected. Certain characters interrupt, pushing their tales over others, making The Canterbury Tale humorous as it does not follow the conventional order as som bettre man shal telle us first another (Chaucer, 2006, Line 21).Chaucer also satirises the medieval point of romance, through the tales, he satirises courtly honor, and how it is portrayed as being the ideal way to create a romance. The Millers Tale, in particular, satirises this concept as it is a parody romance (King, 2000, p73). This medieval concept is often prove ridiculed in these ta les. In the Wife of Bath she admits that I have given five (Chaucer, 1995, line 44), if this had been a courtly love, surely it would have lasted and the Wife of Bath would not have been able to marry again, out of love for her previous husband. Absolon in the Millers Tale attempts to woo Alison using techniques expected of a courtly lover, however he fails to impress Alison and his efforts go unrecognised. Chaucer uses Absolon to demonstrate just how ridiculous the efforts of the courtly lover can be. Chaucer is viewed as inheritor of a great tradition as well as the inventor of a new one (Saunders, 2001, p5) he stuck to particular conventions of the medieval period, and is work is characteristically medieval, however as he does question some of the medieval literary ideas, and many issues in society he can be enjoyed by a coeval audience who can read the subtleties of his satirical prose narrative, without him change either his own audience or a more contemporary one.The main s ocial issue that Chaucer is seen to satirise in both these tales is the idea that women are repressed. Chaucer seemedable to perceive the genius and subtlety of the female mind in making the best of their situation in life, while let off allowing the men to think they were in control (Bunting, 2003, p5).This is perhaps best image in The Wife of Baths Prologue. She mentions her having had espouse five (Chaucer, 1995, line 44). However she is able to defend this position that she is in as God says that to be wedded is no sinne (Chaucer, 1995, line 51), she also asks when God commanded he virgintee? (Chaucer, 1995, line 62). She speaks out against the church and what they are saying in the medieval period, where women were given two stereotypes, either compared to the treacherous Eve, or had to live up to the standards of the Virgin bloody shame with her being both a virgin and a mother this was an out(predicate) role model for women to achieve. The Wife of Bath is unashamedly a l arge than life character designed to squash the constraints that medieval Christianity have set(p) upon women.