Geoffrey Chaucer, Style

The style of an author is his distinctive manner of writing or expressing thought in language. In commenting on Chaucer’s style, it would be well to remember that he was writing in English at a time when that language was in a rather poor state of development. His sure instinct and judgment, however, made him choose the dialect of his native land when his contemporaries like Gower preferred to write in Latin.

To Chaucer goes the credit of having developed the condition of his native language to such an extent, that only the addition of blank verse was required to make English poetry fully equipped. His versatility in experimenting with new verse forms makes it impossible to exaggerate his importance as the creator of English versification. He brought to an inadequate dialect, the beauty of fluid simplicity, conversational ease as well as literary grace. He took up a dialect and left it a language. He enriched it by-adapting words from foreign languages, especially French. He infused the rough English dialect with the refinement and polish of the French language. He brought flexibility to
his native language.

Conversational and colloquial style

As we read The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, we are immediately struck by its conversational tone. The verse flows with a pleasing fluidity. It shows Chaucer’s mastery of the decasyllabic couplet. We find ordinary speech, common proverbs, idiomatic terms, and even contemporary slang in his poetry. It provides a conversational slant to Chaucer’s style.

Some phrases, which Chaucer often tags on to the end of the lines to ensure an easy metrical flow, have a conversational and personal quality:

‘twenty year of age he was, I gesse’ Or ‘Of Northfolk was this Reve of which, I telle’ Or ‘And he nas not right fat, I undertake’

Numerous other such lines, seem to establish direct contact with the reader which is the essence of a conversation. It is done through phrases such as “I telle”, “I gese”, “I seyde”, “as I was war”, etc. Triumph of style in the opening lines of “The Prologue”

The opening passage of The Prologue is in the tradition of Medieval writers, who paid tribute to and welcomed spring at the beginning of their works. But, as D.S. Brewer observes, the triumph of the opening as literary art lies in its purposive structure and its style. In the opening passage, we have smelt the spring air, and have swooped in imagination down from the Zodiac to the Tabard. The focus has carried us from a general view of the season to fix sharply on the pilgrims gathered at an inn near London. The vision is spacious as well as precise. The passage is written in a modified ‘high style’ In the term ‘Zephirus’ connected with ‘swete breeth’, we have the fanciful personification in combination with sensuous realism. Splendor and simplicity are beautifully harmonized. The ‘high’ literary tone of the astronomical allusion is followed by a line with striking simplicity and musical charm: “And smale foweles maken meloyde.”

The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is a remarkable piece pertaining to social criticism. Like Pope and Tennyson, Chaucer, too, painted the life of his time in his poetry. The social group of thirty pilgrims covers the entire range of fourteen-century English society, leaving only loyalty on the one hand and the lowest life on the other. Chaucer lived in an age that was epoch-making in religious, social, and political planes. The victories of the English army in the continent made Calais an English colony and the nation prosperous. The disasters, that came after the victories, helped ripen the English mind.

Influence of The Renaissance in “The Prologue”:

The Renaissance is also known for its humanism because it aroused interest in human character. The Renaissance emphasized the individual traits, which distinguish one man from another. Chaucer imparts individual traits to his characters. They are not mere- types, but also individuals. Thus, the individual characterization in Chaucer is a Renaissance trait. So it is a modern trait in his poetry.

Artistic and Realistic Presentation of Society:

Chaucer presents in The Prologue his different characters from the various classes of the English society of the time. Leaving aside the very highest and the very lowest of the English society, his twenty-nine pilgrims represent the whole range of the English nation. The Prologue is thus the picture- gallery of the fourteen century England. Chaucer’s portraits are quite Realistic. It is with great tolerance and sympathy that he has given a vivid and true picture of the English society. Chaucer discarded the fantastic world of dreams and allegory. He painted his society in a realistic manner and with great artistic detachment. These make his poem a far greater work of art.

Medieval Chivalry of The Age:

Chaucer’s age was medieval although new trends were coming to the surface. He did believe in medieval Chivalry which stood for love, heroism, and religion. Chaucer’s knight is an example of medieval chivalry. He has been a warrior of fifteen battles, fought in defense of Christian shrines. The Knight’s Tales is also full of medieval chivalry. Thus, The Prologue is a true and comprehensive picture of Chaucer’s age.

The Characters Of The Church:

As Chaucer is aware of the weakness of the Churchmen and their love of money, corruption and materialism, so The Prologue gives a vivid picture of the Church. The Monk, the Friar, the Summoner, the Pardoner, and the Prioress are examples of the corrupt clergy. They neglect their duties. The Monk is fond of hunting and opposed to serious study and penance. The Friar uses the gift of the gab to knock out money from the people. The Pardoner makes money by selling pardons to the sinners. The Prioress is modish in her behavior and fastidious in her manners. All these characters, except the poor Parson, show how the Churchman had become depraved. These characters indicate that various drawbacks had crept into the Church.

The Medical Profession:

The physician represents the medical profession of the fourteenth century. In those times, astronomy, or rather astrology was an important element in the training of a medical man. The medieval theory of disease was that they were due to the peculiar combinations of stars and planets, which affected the human body. The standards of cleanliness and sanitation were very low. So, the great plague raged for several years. The Doctor of Medicine made a pile of money during a great plague and was keen to keep it with him. In The Prologue and The Canterbury Tales, we do get an accurate picture of English social life in the fourteenth century.

“The Prologue”: A Cross-Section Of The Fourteenth Century Society:

The Prologue is a Cross-Section of the fourteenth-century society which consisted of three main classes – the Knights representing medieval chivalry, of the clergy representing the Church, and the workers. In the Prologue, Chaucer paints a National Portrait Gallery with some thirty-odd characters who, by and large, constitute the society of his time. Except for royalty and the lowest step of the ladder of English society. The Prologue is a complete representative of the ranks and professions of English medieval society with the Church and the State as its principal pillars.

The Conclusion:

If there is a defect in Chaucer’s style, it is his garrulity or his inability or unwillingness to condense. At times, his style seems to lack the toughness demanded by certain situations. There are places where his poetry seems slow and awkward. But his good humor and artless manner overcome defects. In conclusion, his style is direct, plain, conversational, and even personal at times. His imagery is likewise direct and vivid, drawn from common and familiar fields of experience. He has a masterly ability to make a smooth transition from the ‘high’ to the colloquial style, without losing any fluidity of movement. He shows sure judgment and confidence in the choice of the right words. The charm of fluent simplicity and perfect appropriateness of word to thought, make Chaucer’s style an important aspect of his poetry