Chaucer n his style

Chaucer (1350-1450)

From some documents of Chaucer 's time and in the account what he has written in his poetry about himself are the sum of what we know about his life . The childhood of Chaucer is very uncertain as his date of birth. Some historians and literal people take 1340 as his birth year. He was born in London and after completing his study he went to household of wife of Duke of Clarence's. There he was sent abroad where he was captured. After his sentences was finished he got into the royal household . His name in many documents of that time that shows the records of royal bounties and pecuniary gift, show his name and this confirms  that he entered the royal household. After accession of Charles II his pecuniary gifts and bounties were confirmed . And this provides patron to write his masterpieces. He was sent to Italy for some diplomatic mission where he stayed life long. And more prizes followed his fortune. But a stage of gloom appeared after the departure to Spain of his patron John Guant . But his fortune was soon retrieved.

      The chronological dates of composition of Chaucer's poetry can't be ascertained as certitude. But it can be divided into three significant parts . Those are
1 the French group
2 the Italian group
3 the English group
The last group is the development of the first 2 .but each group have impacts on its successor.

1 the French Group : This is the first group of chaucerian work known as French group which is called French originals.  The style of this group is immature and archaic and more clumsy. " the Romaunt of Roses" is one of his French originals. In this poetry there are lines of octosyllabic couplets of more than 800 lines , a very long allegorical poetry of him .

2 Italian group : This is the second one of his work . This is a advance of the prior one , in the keeness of perception , Composition of style and the uses of vocabulary and descriptions ; it achieves a higher level. " Troilus and Criseyde" is one poetry of this group that is indebted to Boccacio. It has long courtly love and vivid description. It has passion and queries also it justifies the theme and perception. This poetry written in Rome Royal stanza gives it much dexterity and subtlety. These are a stanza of this beautiful poetry.

" If no love is , oh! God , what feel I so ?
If love is , what thing and which is he ?
If love be good from whence cometh my woo?
If it be wikke , a wonder thinketh me
When all the torment and adversites
That cometh of him, may to savory thinke
And ay thrust I the more that ich it drinke"

"The house of fame" also of this group, this is a dream allegory type. In his dream Chaucer is taken to the house of fame where he meets with many other candidates who aspire to access the throne. Some are being accepted and some are refused. This poetry is is a great Chauceran work of vivid allegory and beauty. His discription and raciness of the eagle leaves a mark to remember it often.

" the Legend of Good Women" he wrote in the intention to bring forth the virtue and legend of nineteen great women of class , rank and virtue. But he could  write only about 8 virtuous women and left one partly completed. Among them the most charming one is his description on Cleoptara.

3 the English group : This one is the development of the first two. It has the advance of thought, descriptive power and his skillful handling of metres . "The Canterbury tales is one of its part . In this poetry Chaucer describes about a pilgrimage. 29 pilgrim including himself of all rank and calls join them in Tabard Inn Southwark in order to go on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Thomas at Canterbury . He chooses pilgrims of all rank and class , from the virtuous knight to  humble ploughman . As per the suggestion of the woner of the inn and to relieve the tedium of their journey they are to tell 2 tales on their outward journey and 2 in the return. This would have caused a great and immense  collection of stories in the poetic form. But he has  finished only 20 and left 4 partly completed.

Characteristics of his poetry:
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He was the first poet who can be named as a poet without anonymity and who have some certain prove and documents to be laureated as a poet. He is called the father of English literature. He is one poet who hasn't any competitor to challenge his work at this time. So he flowed like a river .

1 His observation : he has an eye of an observer, heart  of a thinker and retentive mind to capture things and judgement to select. He observed peculiarities of human nature better than any other so he could draw peculiar characters in "the Canterbury Tales " . And how he draws his nature is splendid and higher in rank.

2 his description : he has a mind and artful thought to expound his feelings. He first feels his circumstances and describe in a poetical representation . He gives description of conventional spring morning, flower garden,  rising and setting of sun in a dexterous manner . You can never find comparison of this poetry stanza :

" the bisky lark messager of day
Salueth in her song the morrow-gay
And firy foebus riesth up so brighte
And all the orient laughth with the light "

"The knight's Tale" has ample example of his description. The prologue of the poetry Illustarte his capacity in description of beautyof nature.

" first in the wall payented a forest
In which there dwelth neither  men nor best,
With knotty, knarry, barreny trees olde
And stubbes, sharp hideous to biholde"

3 His metrical skill :
IN the matter of poetical technic English literature owes much to Chaucer. He virtually imported the decasyllabic lines from French group -that is hardly used at all in  English previously.  The seven lined stanza has become known as" Chaucerian" or "Rime royale " .

Chaucer is a great lyrical poet but in some of his ballads he shows his skill as the very apparent in the contemporary poems.

( excuse for any wrong information and for the typing and grammar mistakes )
Subhashree Barik