CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGE OF CHAUCER

Dr. Hareshwar Roy,






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 CCURCH: 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 LEARNINGThe: 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.

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.


About the author:
 Dr. Hareshwar Roy, Professor of English at Govt. P.G. College, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, obtained his bachelor and master degrees in English from Patna University Patna, Bihar. He completed his Ph.D. from A.P.S. University Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. His ‘The Diasporic Articulation in the Novels of M.G. Vassanji’ is an incisive book that makes an in-depth study of the novels of M.G. Vassanji who is one of the best known literary members of Indian Diaspora. His research papers (more than 40) have been widely published in reputed literary journals. Currently he is teaching English Literature in Govt. Autonomous P.G. College Satna, Madhya Pradesh. He has attended a number of seminars and conferences. His area of interest is the writing of the writers of Indian diaspora.



Location: Satna, M.P., India Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

Comments

  1. UnknownSunday, October 18, 2020

    Superb

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownWednesday, February 03, 2021

    So much informative and didactic post. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ArunSunday, March 14, 2021

    Thank u very help full

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownTuesday, March 23, 2021

    Thank you so much Sir
    It's really very helpful and easy to understand

    ReplyDelete
  5. james johnWednesday, March 31, 2021

    I am definitely enjoying your website. You definitely have some great insight and great stories.
    Buy Assignments

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sohaib khawajaMonday, May 17, 2021

    Thanks alot ๐Ÿ’•

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

The Cherry Tree - Ruskin Bond

Dr. Hareshwar Roy,
One day, when Rakesh was six, he walked from the Mussoorie bazaar eating cherries. They were a little sweet, a little sour; small, bright red cherries, which had come all the way from the Kashmir valley. Here in the Himalayan foothills where Rakesh lived, there were not many fruit trees. The soil was stony, and the dry cold winds stunted the growth of most plants. But on the more sheltered slopes there were forests of oak and deodar. Rakesh lived with his grandfather on the outskirts of Mussoorie, just where the forest began. Grandfather was a retired forest ranger. He had a little cottage outside the town. Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries. He paid fifty paisa for the bunch. It took him about half an hour to walk home, and by the time he reached the cottage there were only three cherries left. ‘Have a cherry, grandfather,’ he said, as soon as he saw grandfather in the garden. Grand father took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate
Read more

The Axe - R.K.Narayan

Dr. Hareshwar Roy,
An astrologer passing through the village foretold that Velan would live in a three-storeyed house surrounded by many acres of garden. At this everybody gathered round young Velan and made fun of him. For Koppal did not have a more ragged and godforsaken family than Velan’s. His father had mortgaged every bit of property he had, and worked, with his whole family, on other people’s lands in return for a few annas a week . . . A three-storeyed house for Velan indeed! . . . But the scoffers would have congratulated the astrologer if they had seen Velan about thirty or forty years later. He became the sole occupant of Kumar Baugh—that palatial house on the outskirts of Malgudi town.   When he was eighteen Velan left home. His father slapped his face one day for coming late with the midday-meal, and he did that in the presence of others in the field. Velan put down the basket, glared at his father and left the place. He just walked out of the village, and walked on and on till h
Read more

JOHN DONNE AS A METAPHYSICAL POET

Dr. Hareshwar Roy,
INTRODUCTION: John Donne is the leader and founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry. His poetry is a revolt against the popular current. First of all Dryden used the term ' Metaphysical' for Donne's poetry. He said,' Donne affects the metaphysics'. Later on Dr. Johnson called Donne and his followers 'the metaphysical poets'. Since then the word metaphysical has been used for Donne and his followers. WHAT IS METAPHYSICAL POETRY: The term metaphysics means something supernatural and transcendental. Its sense is 'what is beyond physical'. It is concerned with fundamental problems of life and death and soul even after death. The term metaphysical poetry means poetry dealing with metaphysical subjects. These subjects are - nature of universe, movements of stars and planets and the whole relationship of man to God. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS: We should cast a glance at the main characteristics of metaphysical poetry
Read more