140.DSC 101- Chaucer's contribution to poetry (28)
1. What is the duration of the Age of Chaucer?
Ans: The duration of the Age of Chaucer is 1340-1400.
2. Who is called the father of English poetry?
Ans: Geoffrey Chaucer is called the father of English poetry?
3. Who is Chaucer?
Ans: Geoffrey Chaucer, the Father of English literature, is the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages.
4. Why is Chaucer called the father of English Language?
Ans: Chaucer is called the father of English Language because he transformed English from a dialect to a language and dared to venture literary works like The Canterbury Tales in this dialect.
5. Who are the contemporaries of Chaucer?
Ans: William Langland and John Wyclif were two contemporary writers of Chaucer.
6. Who is Langland?
Ans: William Langland, a contemporary poet of Chaucer, is the presumed author of a the alliterative verse Piers Plowman.
7. What is "Piers Plowman"?
Ans: "Piers Plowman" is a Middle English allegorical narrative poem by William Langland.
8. Who is Thomas Malory?
Ans: Thomas Malory was the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur, one of the most popular prose romances of the medieval period.
9. What is Morte d'Arther?
Ans: Morte d’Arthur is a masterpiece of Thomas Malory. It tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights at the Round Table.
10. Who wrote Morte d’ Arther?
Ans: Thomas Malory wrote Morte d’ Arther.
11. What are the three periods of Chaucer's poetry?
Ans: The French Period, The Italian Period and The English Period are the three periods of Chaucer's poetry.
12. Mention some literary works by Chaucer.
Ans: The Canterbury Tales, The House of Fame and Troilus and Criseyde are some literary works by Chaucer.
13. What is masterpiece of Geoffrey Chaucer?
Ans: "The Canterbury Tales" is the masterpiece of Geoffrey Chaucer.
14. Why is Chaucer's poetry remarkable?
Ans: Chaucer's poetry is remarkable because it realistically and clearly depicts the ways of life of his age.
15. What is The Canterbury Tales?
Ans: The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories in a frame story by Geoffrey Chaucer.
16. How many pilgrims are there in “The Canterbury Tales”?
Ans: There are thirty one pilgrims in “The Canterbury Tales” including Chaucer and the Host, Harry Bailey.
17. How many tales each pilgrim had to tell in 'The Canterbury Tales'?
Ans: In 'The Canterbury Tales' each pilgrim had to tell four tales: two tales on the way to Canterbury and two more on the way back.
18. What type of poem is "Troilus and Criseyde"?
Ans: "Troilus and Criseyde" by Chaucer is a love-romance.
19. Who were Troilus and Criseyde?
Ans: Troilus and Criseyde were the two lovers of the poem Troilus and Criseyde by Chaucer. Troilus was the youngest son of Priam and Criseyde was the daughter of Calchas.
20. Who wrote Troilus and Criseyde?
Ans: Geoffrey Chaucer wrote Troilus and Criseyde.
21. Who was William Caxton?
Ans: William Caxton was the founder of printing press in 1476.
22. What is Hundred Years' War?
Ans: Hundred Years' War refers to the war that took place between England and France from 1337 to 1453.
23. Which countries fought Hundred Years' War?
Ans: England and France fought Hundred Years’ War.
24. What is "Black Death"?
Ans: The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia and peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351.
25. What is Morality play?
Ans: Morality play is a medieval dramatic form which allegorically presents an ideal Christian life on the stage.
26. What do you mean by Miracle and Mystery plays?
Ans: Miracle plays are concerned with incidents derived from the legends of the saints of the Church. Mystery plays deal with Gospel events only.
27. How is a 'Mystery play' different from a 'Miracle play'?
Ans: Mystery play is a medieval form of play based on the Biblical stories whereas 'Mystery play' is a medieval play dealing with the miraculous events of the life of saints.
28. Briefly discuss Chaucer's contribution to English poetry.
Ans:- Geoffrey Chaucer has been called the father of english poetry, he was the first English poet who wrote in a style of language which is readily recognisable today. Chaucer is undoubtedly the founder of English literature and language. The Anglo Saxon literature does not express the the varied genius of english people; it breaths the air of tomb. Even Metrical romance written before chaucer are dull and monotonous and do not have the the vitality and variety which characters the work of Chaucer.
Chaucer is the father of English language before him there was as yet no standard form of the new tongue to take the place. English language was divided into northern, southern, midland dialects. Chaucer chose his medium medium the East Midland dialect the speech of the capital and it was on account of his influence east midland dialect attain the dignity of national language. Thus chaucer is the first national english poet.
Chaucer.
Chaucer has been acclaimed is the first realist, find humourist, fast narrative artist, fast great metrical artist, and representative of mediaeval poet in english literature. Further he has been created not only the fatherhood of english poetry but he has also been hailed as the father of English drama before the drama was born and father of English novel before the novel was born.
Chaucer is the father of English language before him there was as yet no standard form of the new tongue to take the place. English language was divided into northern, southern, midland dialects. Chaucer chose his medium medium the east midland dialect the speech of the capital and it was on account of his influence east midland dialect attain the dignity of national language. Thus chaucer is the first national english poet.
He played a part as the creator of English versification. From French he imported the decasyllabic lines which was become the heroic verses. In "The Canterbury Tales" Chaucer used lines of 10 syllables with five accents. The rime royal arranged in seven rhyme stanzas is found in its perfect form in Troilus. The eight syllabic line with 4 accents rhyming with couplet are found in "The Book of the Duchess". In short, Chaucer used all the prosodic systems of English poetry.
Chaucer is the first to show the poetic possibilities of the language. In sweetness, sureness and easy of style he recalled all the past greatest teachers in literature. He was the master romancer; he gave a new life to allegory.
Chaucer showed his skill in the the portrayal of characters. He was indeed the predecessor of Shakespeare. He presented characters and human senses impartially in a way that we can trust. The character of "pandarus" that easy going talkative personality in "Troilus Testifies" it's shown the Chaucer's power of character painting.
Not only did he give English poetry a new dress but also a new body and a new soul. His major contribution to the content of poetry is in his strick adherence to realism. His "Canterbury Tales" embodies a new effort in the the history of English literature as it strictly deal with the real man, manners and life which before Chaucer was lacking in poetry. He realised to adopt Pope's famous couplet.
"Known then and they self presume not dreams to to scan The proper study of mankind is man."
Chaucer's tone as a poet is wonderfully instance with geniality, tolerance, humour and freshness which are absent from that of his contemporaries and predecessors, who are too dreamy or too serious to be interesting. In spite of his awareness of the corruption and unrest in the society of his age Chaucer is never upset or upsetting. No one can read him without feeling that it is good to be alive in this world however imperfect may it be in numerous respects. Chaucer is a chronic optimist.
He leaves didacticism to Langland and, he himself peacefully coexist with all human imperfection. It does not mean that he is not satirical but is satire are always seasoned with lively human.
David Daiches thinks that at the hands of Chaucer English language and English literature grew at a bound to full maturity. No other middle English writers has his skill, his range, his complexity, his large human outlook. His followers lack both his technical brilliance and his breadth of vision, leaving him the one undisputed master in mediaeval English literature.