Complete thorough study of Prologue to the Canterbury tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Prologue to the Canterbury tales

By Geoffrey Chaucer



Characteristics of Chaucer:

  • The most perfect poet in the English language
  • The father of English poetry
  • The grandfather of English novels
  • Promoter of national unity through language
  • Prince of story Teller
  • Developer of English language as literary language
  • Original poet
  • Bridge between medieval/dark ages between renaissance
  • Crossroad
  • Greatest poet of the 14th century
  • Social chronicler of his age
  • The first humorist of English literature
  • Pioneer of modern drama, novels and poetry
  • Supreme native poet
  • 14 century as Chaucer's England
  • Papularized, reshaped and reformed the East Midland dialect and gave it the form of standard tongue
  • Give expression to the life,ideals,hopes and aspirations of 14th century

  • Characteristics of Prologue
  • Humorous in modern sense
  • Satirical
  • Not acrimonious attitudes
  • Ironic
  • No originality of plot
  • Plot fetched from Latin, French, Italian source
  • No use of allegorical personification
  • Short but vivid characterization
  • Lack of high seriousness
  • Chaucer first talked about living beings
  • Panorama of beauty
  • Rebirth of Greek knowledge
  • Lack of high seriousness
  • Radicalism
  • Individualism
  • Scholasticism
  • Naturalism
  • Humanism
  • Renaissance Aristotelianism
  • Secularism
  • Realism
  • Materialism
  • Romantic description
  • Social description

  • Art of characterization
  • Negative capability
  • Unique, original,and rich
  • Realism
  • Feature of medieval age 
  • Renaissance characteristics
  • Living human beings
  • Brief yet lucid and comprehensive
  • Every character is presenting drama
  • Element of reformation
  • Minimum moralizing
  • Straightforward and direct course
  • Minimum description and moralizing
  • Romantic description
  • Social description
  • Techniques of characterization
  1. Mediaeval medical theory of humour (fire water Earth and air)
  2. Description through physiognomy (inner spiritual health)
  3. Description through physical health and features
  4. Exposure through dresses
  5. Presentation as individual as well as types
  6. Use of personal observation
  7. Criticism on women
  8. Chaucer basically criticize the male dominated society and the religious dominated society
  9. Christian attitude towards women because Chaucer is himself Christ
  • Humour by incongruity
  • Tickling irony
  •  irony by contrast 
  • humour with refined and sophisticated touches 
  • irony by exaggeration
  • Ironic humour 
  • humour carrying a sound message
  • Humour tinged with pity
  • Satirical irony

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