Geoffrey Chaucer as the father of English poetry
Introduction:
Geoffrey Chaucer is called the father of English poetry. He symbolizes the Middle Ages like no other writer. He maintains a relationship with the life of his time very similar to that of Alexander Pope with the eighteenth century and Tennyson with the Victorian age. Chaucer’s place in English literature is more important than both. He is the first great English writer. His work is divided into three different phases;
In its first phase it was under the influence of the French (1357-72).
The second phase was under the influence of the Italians (1372-86).
The third phase of his life was the one that focused on native originality and produced his own literature in English (1386-1400).
Literature was not published or not in the focus of the people before him. There was the rule of the Normans in Britain, who came there from France, therefore French was the official language and Latin was the language of religious people and the church because their holy book ‘Bible’ was in Latin . Chaucer was the first person to introduce the modern English language to Britain.
At the time, four dialects of English were used in Britain.
From North
Southern
Inland
Kent
In London, there was a Midland dialect. Chaucer chose this midland and made the standard of it in this dialect. He used embellished and ornate words in his poetry which people liked very much. And the next generation used these kinds of words in his writings and people used to speak these modern words in their everyday language that Chaucer introduced in his writings. The Canterbury Tales is a milestone in Chaucer’s life and he is known for it.
Chaucer is also a pioneer of the English novel. In his Troilus and Crisis and The Canterbury Tales, we can find the seeds of the novel. He was called the first novelist even before the appearance of the novel in Britain and he was also called the first playwright even before the appearance of the drama in Britain. That is why he is also called the Father of English literature. But he is well known for his poetry.
Characteristics of Chaucer’s poetry:
Chaucer had a very busy career as a businessman, poetry for him was necessarily a part-time activity. Chaucer made several contributions to English poetry. He tried to enlarge the range, scope and mentality of the poets, he introduced very close observations of the life around him, he presented the crystal clear picture of the conditions of his time through his writings, he excelled in characterization and above all everything, gave a new form to English language and poetry. With these contributions, he stands at the top of the history of English literature and no one can challenge his position.
· The first great national poet
Chaucer was the first great national poet. He expressed the new hopes and aspirations of the people of his time. The basis of Chaucer’s art is found in English life and character.
· Realism
Realism tries to describe life without idealizations. Chaucer was the first realist in English literature. He rejected the themes of the traditional concept of fantasy and ideality. Before him, war, heroes and the royal family were the main themes of poets, but Chaucer broke this chain and focused on reality. Everything in his Canterbury Tales was from life. He was a good observer; he saw very deeply the appearance, dress and behavior of the pilgrims. He painted as if it were what he was observing.
· narrative ability
Chaucer is highly regarded for his storytelling ability. The power of him as a storyteller, the power to tell an interesting story is just amazing. He is the first great English storyteller in verse form. His use of verse as a vehicle for storytelling is his most memorable contribution, and modern English literature is greatly indebted to him in this regard. His Canterbury Tales is actually a collection of excellently told stories.
· Humor
He is considered the first great English humorist. No English literary work before him expressed humor in the modern sense. That was serious and based on heroic deeds. Chaucer’s humor is always sympathetic, natural and spontaneous.
· Character Art
In English literature, Chaucer is the first great painter of characters. He introduces his character masterfully. He introduces his characters both individually and in the form of types.
William Blake considers the character of Chaucer’s Pilgrims to be the character that makes up all ages and nations. The Knight, the Friar, the Bride of Bath, the Doctor of Physics, the Prioress, the Monk, the Merchant and many others are alive and eternally fresh and their features symbolize the qualities of universal human life. Such characterization set the tone for future writers.
· iambic pentameter and royal rhyme
The credit for the use of rhyme-royal for the first time in English literature goes to Chaucer. Rhyme-royal is also called Chaucerian stanza; the stanza of seven lines with rhyming scheme of ABABBCC. He borrowed this technique from France. King James I of Scotland in the fifteenth century used this stanza in his famous poem “King Quair”.
When five stressed syllables are used in a line of poetry, then it is called pentameter. Iambic pentameter means ‘rhythm of five syllable patterns’.
for example, “Grave nods in the Grove, every alley has a brother.”
· humanistic perspective
The poetry portrays not only the artistry and artificiality of the time, but also hints at a humanistic perspective. This reflection of humanity in poetry comes from Chaucerian literature. His descriptions of his like express his broad humanity and pave the way for Shakespeare. He has no hatred for fools and no distaste for scoundrels. He is the poet of humanity.
Chaucer also introduced the rhyming line at the end of each stanza.
To conclude the above discussion, we can say that he is alone and no one climbs the same as him. It can be said that Chaucer, with the remarkable, impressive and comprehensive literary works of his, has so far remained unsurpassed. The English language and literature matured thanks to the production of Chaucer. For this reason, he is called the “father of English poetry.”
