CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGE OF CHAUCER

Age of Chaucer :

Introduction: 

                  The age of Chaucer is the first significant period in the literary history of England. In every walk of life there were signs of change. The social, political, religious and literary changes were taking place. In short, it was an age of change.

An Age of Transition : 

                   The age of Chaucer was a transitional age. The medievalism was departing and modernism was developing slowly. Wycliffe and his followers were sowing the seeds of Reformation. They were making attack upon the church. Individualism was being emphasized. Military events were contributing to the growth of patriotism and national consciousness. The industrial development was giving rise to the middle and working classes. It led to the end of feudal system. In this way we find that the age of Chaucer was an era of transition.

Growth of National Sentiment : 

                  The age of Chaucer witnessed the beginning of the Hundred Years War. England was at war with Scotland and France. This war brought great victories in the battles of Crecy and Poitiers. The consciousness of national unity was strengthened. The war gave a feeling of national pride and self respect to the people of England. The national life got purified and powerful national sentiments grew.

Black death, Famine and Social Unrest :

                  The age of Chaucer faced natural calamities and social unrest. Plagues and pestilences, constitutional conflicts and unorthodoxy came to the forefront. In 1348-49 came the terrible Black Death. It shook the social fabric violently. A large number of people died. It reappeared in 1362, 1367 and 1370. Famine followed plague. Vagrants and thieves multiplied. Labour became scarce. Heavy taxation was imposed. The Toll Tax brought about the peasants' revolt. This revolt was a clear sign of social tension and unrest.

The Corruption of the church :

                         In the age of Chaucer the church was the seat of power and prestige. It was infected with corruption. The churchmen were fond of wealth and luxury. They indulged themselves in all sorts of vices. They lived in a Godless and worldly way. John Wycliff, the morning star of the Reformation, led an attack upon the growing corruption of the church.

The new Learning: 

                       The age of Chaucer marked the dawn of new learning. It brought about a change in the general outlook of the age. Man's intellectual horizon expanded. He began to make efforts to liberate himself from the shackles of theological slavery. Two Italian writers Petrarch and Boccaccio were the pioneers of this great revival. But beneath the medievalism the heaven of Renaissance was already at work. The modern world was in the process of being born.

John Wycliffe: An Evidence of Chaucer’s Age:

Among the great contemporaries of Chaucer, few deserve more attention than John Wycliffe, for he was one of the first Englishmen to challenge the authority of the Catholic Church; and in so doing he anticipated Martin Luther by nearly one hundred and fifty years. Like his famous successor, he came to the conclusion that clerical pretensions had raised a barrier between man and God; and both by pen and in pulpit he endeavored to break it down. Free access to the Bible was what the spiritual life required.

Language

The age saw the emergence of the standard English language. This was the single biggest development of the age as English had previously been heavily curbed by the influence of French and Latin.

The East Midland dialect became the accepted form of standardized English. The language saw great achievement and expression in the masterpieces of Chaucer.

French and Latin saw a waning influence on the language of the day. Chaucer’s use of language to describe the man and his place is embellished with beauty, simplicity and humour.

The common examples from the daily life account details of blooming gardens in spring to unique human characteristics. The language glorified themes of beauty, vitality and the secular sentiment.

Curiosity and Criticism:

The age is known for its scathing criticism of the established order and religion. Church’s control over temporal affairs of common men was challenged during this period.

There is a renewed interest in the common man’s affairs. There is a theme of derision of romance, especially by Chaucer. The drama takes the prominent stage. The dominance of historical fables and romance of Medieval age was eschewed for more humanistic themes.

It was a period of great social and intellectual movements as well as poverty, unrest, and revolt. It had the plague called the Black Death as well as the growth of the scientific temper and inquiry.

It had great criticisms of the Church as well as the celebration of the commoners. It is often regarded as the precursor to the Renaissance Movement of the Elizabethan age.

Prose

The English prose had its beginning in this age. Due to the ripening of the language, the prose could now be experimented with. The Biblical translation of John Wycliffe is an example of it.

The prose writing is both original and individual. There are experimental works like that of Thomas Mallory (King Arthur) and also a desire to shed the grip of Latin as seen in demand for an English Bible.

The formation of allegory was refined in this period. There was a return of alliteration which had been replaced with rhymes in the middle ages.

The prominent prose writers of Chaucer’s age were Chaucer, John of Trevisa and John Wycliffe. There is also a great influence of Scottish works like Barbour.

Poetry

The Age of Chaucer saw the birth of English Poetry. In Chaucer’s age, poetry continued to flourish and assumed an unparalleled position. The most noted poets of this age were Chaucer, John Gower and William Langland.

Spencer became the father of poetic diction as there was no poetic diction before this age. The poetry saw the amalgamation of religion, humanism and secular passions.

There were new forms of poetry like narrative and descriptive poetry that were enhanced during this time period.

Chaucer himself was known for his trenchant observations. He was sociable and loved mingling with people from diverse backgrounds as evidenced in his work; ‘The Canterbury Tales’.

Conclusion : 

                    Thus in the age of Chaucer a curious modern note began to be apparent. There was a sharper spirit of criticism. The vogue of the romance was passing. In this age there was a spirit of revolt. The church was losing her great hold upon the masses of people. Reformation was in process.  The light of new learning was shining. This age was given proper voice by Chaucer.