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BISHOP JUSTUS A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE LOVE THROUGH THE AGES Chaucer to Modern Day LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY Types of Love to consider Courtly Love Lust First encounter Marriage Parting Forbidden Love Unrequited Love Themes that are frequently present: The profound Nature Love as an illness Heaven The Ethereal 1 LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY How to use the anthology 2 LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY 3 LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400 –est.) Brief Biog: Chaucer was the first great poet writing in English, whose best-known work is 'The Canterbury Tales'. Geoffrey Chaucer was born between 1340 and 1345, probably in London. His father was a prosperous wine merchant. We do not know any details of his early life and education. In 1357, he was a page to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, wife of Edward III's third son. Chaucer was captured by the French during the Brittany expedition of 1359, but was ransomed by the king. Edward III later sent him on diplomatic missions to France, Genoa and Florence. His travels exposed him to the work of authors such as Dante, Boccaccio and Froissart. Around 1366, Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting in the queen's household. They are thought to have had three or four children. Philippa's sister, Katherine Swynford, later became the third wife of John of Gaunt, the king's fourth son and Chaucer's patron. In 1374, Chaucer was appointed comptroller of the lucrative London customs. In 1386, he was elected member of parliament for Kent, and he also served as a justice of the peace. In 1389, he was made clerk of the king's works, overseeing royal building projects. He held a number of other royal posts, serving both Edward III and his successor Richard II. Chaucer's first major work was 'The Book of the Duchess', an elegy for the first wife of his patron John of Gaunt. Other works include 'Parlement of Foules', 'The Legend of Good Women' and 'Troilus and Criseyde'. In 1387, he began his most famous work, 'The Canterbury Tales', in which a diverse group of people recount stories to pass the time on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. His social commentary through the use of diverse characters and their recounting of stories is sharply satirical. Chaucer disappears from the historical record in 1400, and is thought to have died soon after. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Social and Historical context: 1170 The murder of Thomas Becket on orders of the King. Far from their dour reputation, the Middle Ages were a period of massive social change, burgeoning nationalism, international conflict, terrible natural disaster, climate change, rebellion, resistance and renaissance. 1340s The Black Death an horrific plague which ravaged England and Scotland, causing philosophical questioning of the Church. Some felt that life on earth was simply a test to gain entrance to Heaven, while others began to question whether life was to be enjoyed rather than lived in god-fearing suffering. This led to the birth of the Humanist movement. 1381 The Peasants’ Revolt – Feudal society begins to fracture WHY IS CHAUCER IMPORTANT? Chaucer is one of the earliest English Literature texts, and, for helping you with this unit, it shows elements of courtly love and also crude lust. 4 LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY NOTES ON THE CANTEBURY TALES Chaucer lengthy poem revolves around the idea that it is a documentation of the stories that were shared between numerous people on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to visit the shrine of St Thomas Becket. Each story is separated by the narrator’s description of the group and the reactions caused. Each story is delivered by a character (eg the Miller or The Knight). Many of the stories which feature are adapted from stories which were first scribed in the DECAMERON. Many of the stories are bawdy and crude. Many also allow Chaucer to make satirical social comment through the use of varied characters as story-tellers – it features stories by men and women and from characters from right across the class-spectrum. The poem creates numerous layers of audience: There is us - the readers, There is the narrator, There are the pilgrims listening to the stories. COURTLY LOVE 5 LOVE THROUGH THE AGES: BISHOP JUSTUS POETRY ANTHOLOGY (from the Canterbury Tales) The Miller's Tale So sweetly that all the room rang; 3216 And Angelus ad virginem he song; And "The Angel to the Virgin" he sang; 3217 And after that he song the Kynges Noote. Heere bigynneth the Millere his tale. And after that he sang the King's Tune. Here begins The Miller's Tale. 3218 Ful often blessed was his myrie throte. Very often his merry throat was blessed. 3219 And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente And thus this sweet clerk spent his time 3187 Whilom ther was dwellynge at Oxenford 3220 After his freendes fyndyng and his rente. There was once dwelling at Oxford Living on his friends' support and his (own) income. 3188 A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord, A rich churl, who took in boarders, 3189 And of his craft he was a carpenter. 3221 This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf, And of his craft he was a carpenter. This carpenter had recently wedded a wife, 3190 With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler, 3222 Which that he lovede moore than his lyf; With him there was dwelling a poor scholar, Whom he loved more than his life; 3191 Hadde lerned art, but al his fantasye 3223 Of eighteteene yeer she was of age. Who had learned the arts curriculum, but all his desire She was eighteen years of age. 3192 Was turned for to lerne astrologye, 3224 Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage, Was turned to learning astrology, Jealous he was, and held her narrowly in confinement, 3193 And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns, 3225 For she was wylde and yong, and he was old And he knew a certain (number of) of astronomical operations, For she was wild and young, and he was old 3194 To demen by interrogaciouns, 3226 And demed hymself been lik a cokewold. To determine by scientific calculations, And believed himself likely to be a cuckold. 3195 If that men asked hym, in certein houres 3227 He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, If men asked him, in specific (astronomical) hours He knew not Cato, for his wit was rude, 3196 Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures, 3228 That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude. When men should have drought or else showers, Who advised that man should wed his equal. 3197 Or if men asked hym what sholde bifalle 3229 Men sholde wedden after hire estaat, Or if people asked him what should happen Men should wed according to their status in life, 3198 Of every thyng; I may nat rekene hem alle. 3230 For youthe and elde is often at debaat. Concerning every thing; I can not reckon them all. For youth and old age are often in conflict. 3199 This clerk was cleped hende Nicholas. 3231 But sith that he was fallen in the snare, This clerk was called clever Nicholas. But since he was fallen in the snare, 3200 Of deerne love he koude and of solas; 3232 He moste endure, as oother folk, his care. Of secret love he knew and of its satisfaction; He must endure, like other folk, his troubles. 3201 And therto he was sleigh and ful privee, And moreover he was sly and very discreet, 3233 Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal 3202 And lyk a mayden meke for to see. Fair was this young wife, and moreover And like a maiden meek in appearance. 3234 As any wezele hir body gent and smal. 3203 A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye As any weasel was her body graceful and slender. A room had he in that hostelry 3235 A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk, 3204 Allone, withouten any compaignye, A belt she wore, with decorative strips all of silk, Alone, without any company, 3236 A barmclooth as whit as morne milk 3205 Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote; An apron as white as morning milk Very elegantly strewn with sweet-smelling herbs; 3237 Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore. 3206 And he hymself as sweete as is the roote Upon her loins, full of many a flounce. And he himself as sweet as is the root 3238 Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore 3207 Of lycorys or any cetewale. White was her smock, and embroidered all in front Of licorice or any zedoary (a ginger-like herb). 3239 And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute, 3208 His Almageste, and bookes grete and smale, And also behind, around her collar, His Almagest, and books large and small, 3240 Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute. 3209 His astrelabie, longynge for his art, With coal-black silk, within and also without. His astrolabe, belonging to his art (of astronomy), 3241 The tapes of hir white voluper 3210 His augrym stones layen faire apart, The ribbons of her white cap His counting stones (for his abacus) lie neatly apart, 3242 Were of the same suyte of hir coler; 3211 On shelves couched at his beddes heed; Were of the same color as her collar; Arranged on shelves at his bed's head; 3243 Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.
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