Why is Chaucer Important in the History of English Literature?

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) derived from the French chausseur, meaning shoemaker had in fact cobbled the world of literature. An author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat he is best remembered for his The Canterbury Tales. Truly called the father of English Literature this greatest Middle English writer is credited by some scholars as the first author to demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the vernacular English language rather than French or Latin which were the popular languages then.

He is thought to have started work on The Canterbury Tales in the early 1380s. Chaucer's literary works fall conveniently into three periods named according to the different literary influences discernible in his work: the French period, from his beginnings to1370; the Italian period, from1370-1385; and the English period, from1385-1400. His first major work, The Book of the Duchess, an elegy for Blanche of Lancaster (who died in 1369) was written in the French period. He wrote most of his lyrics and some allegorical romances during this period too. “All these early works follow models laid down by earlier contemporary writers. To some extent, the works of the Italian period are works inspired by the earlier writings of Italian authors or by the atmosphere of the fourteenth century Italian culture with which he became acquainted during his trips to Italy.”(Woods) Chaucer’s original ingenuity started emerging in the works of the Italian period.

Some of his works include:

1. The Parliament of Fowls is a charming satire, on model of animal story, of parliament and of representation of people;

2.  The House of Fame, although incomplete, is a more trenchant satire upon gossips, reputations, and rewards for “merit”;

3. The Legend of Good Women is a collection of short biographies in verse of famous heroines of antiquity, quite in the medieval tradition which saw in the lives of great men and women models for conduct or a terrible example to shun. The work was like mirror of life held up for all in positions of responsibility to see;

4. Troilus and Criseyde, a long narrative poem in the manner of medieval romance, on a story from the medieval Troy legend. Some scholars refer to it as the first psychological novel in English literature because of its insight into human motives and its masterly characterizations; the suave and worldly go-between Pandarus and the enigmatic Cressida are remarkable portraits for the medieval period when the analysis of a human soul for more than didactic purposes was virtually unknown.

Troilus and Criseyde is historically interesting, also because it happens to be the finest of all the treatments of the Troy legend in Middle English literature. It is regarded as the finest work of Chaucer’s Italian period. His major works made up from a collection of stories may

Others are: The Romaunt of the Rose, The Book of the Duchess, Aneilida and Arcite, Treatise on the Astroble and many more.

Chaucer is remembered most as the author of The Canterbury Tales , which is a collection of stories told by fictional pilgrims on the road to the cathedral at Canterbury. These tales are believed to have contributed immensely in the shaping of English literature.

Geoffrey Chaucer

Characterisation: The Canterbury Tales contrasts with other literature of the period because of the naturalism of its narrative, the variety of stories the pilgrims tell and the varied characters who are engaged in the pilgrimage. Many of the stories narrated by the pilgrims seem to fit their individual characters and social standing, although some of the stories seem ill-fitting to their narrators. Some scholars attribute this to the incomplete state of the work. Chaucer drew on real life for his cast of pilgrims: the innkeeper shares the name of a contemporary keeper of an inn in Southwalk. Scholars have suggested real-life identities for the Wife of Bath, the Merchant, the Man of Law and the Student. The many jobs that Chaucer held in medieval society—page, soldier, messenger, valet, bureaucrat, foreman and administrator—probably exposed him to many of the types of people he depicted in the Tales. He was able to shape their speech and satirize their manners.

The Canterbury Tales stands as the supreme monument to Chaucer. The array of characters in the prologue to this varied collection of stories both popular and artistic would have been sufficient to assure the author a high place, and the sweep and versatility of the stories themselves are a further tribute to his genius”(Woods ). Except for Piers Plowman, no other work of the Middle English period shows the same awareness of the social scene. However, The Canterbury Tales surpasses its rival in “poise, colour, ordered art and humour. It has universal appeal and transcends its age.

Contributions to Development of Prose Fiction: Chaucer is both a child of his age and the herald of the Renaissance English literature. Although his works are regarded as poetry by many, his treatment of issues of human concern, the chronological arrangement of incidents, effective and efficient deployment of characters, vivid and realistic presentation of incidents and events in his works, qualifies him to be classified as one of the originators of modern prose fiction. His knowledge is limited to his age, and devotion to the church, but “…his power to transcend his own era lies in his cool appraising humour, his facility of descriptive phrase, his vigorous narrative, his remarkable receptivity to the workings of human nature, and his consequent appeal to the humanity of the ages marks him out as the greatest”.

Language: Apart from the irregular spelling, much of the vocabulary in Chaucer’s works is recognizable to the modern reader. Chaucer is also recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary as the first author to use many common English words in his writings. These words were probably frequently used in the language at the time but Chaucer, with his ear for common speech, is the earliest manuscript source. Acceptable, alkali, altercation, amble, angrily, annex, annoyance, approaching, arbitration, armless, army, arrogant, arsenic, arc, artillery and aspect are just some of the many English words first attested in Chaucer. These words are still in use and have influenced the diction of prose fiction over the years.

Hints:

Chaucer holds profound significance in the history of English literature:

Pioneer of English Vernacular: Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" marked a shift from Latin to English, democratizing literature.

Language Development: His work helped shape Middle English and influenced its evolution into Modern English.

Social Commentary: Chaucer's narratives mirrored medieval society, providing insights into its complexities and hierarchies.

Literary Legacy: His innovative storytelling techniques laid groundwork for future English writers.

Chaucer's impact resonates through centuries, shaping English literary tradition.

Ardhendu De  

Reference:

1.Terry Jones’book Who Murdered Chaucer?:A Medieval Mystery
2. Oxford English Dictionary 
3. Chaucerian Spaces: Spatial Poetics in Chaucer's Opening Tales by William F. Woods