Geoffrey Chaucer is widely known as the father of English literature, the first English poet and humanist. The life of Chaucer is a fantastic example of a person’s existence in numerous social fields. The Great English poet communicated with people from practically every social class at various times in his life and managed to learn about English communities on different levels. The culmination and result of his creative path is “The Canterbury Tales,” where he fully expresses his interest in England’s society of the late 14th century.
The “General Prologue” starts with a narration about 29 pilgrims from various regions of England. “Wel nine and twenty in a company; The holy blissful martyr for to seke” (Chaucer, 2012, p.47). On the way to St. Thomas Becket’s grave, they tell stories to pass the time. Most pilgrims are introduced in the “General Prologue” and can be divided into different social types. Even though it appears to be the entire storyline of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer was able to communicate the reality of the Middle Ages, a literary depiction of society, and a veiled critique of the time’s mores.
The chivalry theme appears in the majority of Canterbury Tales. There are two distinct trends in the portrayal of knights: the first one creates a noble and honorable warrior image, and the other depicts the emerging decline of chivalry as seen in England at that time. “A knight ther was and that a worthy man” (Chaucer, 2012, p.47). In comparison to other classes, little attention was given to the peasantry. The Plowman almost entirely represents the peasant.
Another significant social class depicted by Chaucer is pilgrims-tradesmen. Merchants/tradespeople played an integral part in the economic and social changes that were taking place in England in the late 1300s. It is important to note that the poet speaks of all tradesmen at once. Perhaps, he inadvertently reflects his peers’ perceptions of them as a single entity, reflecting the expanding importance of the middle class.
There is a large number of clergy representatives. In sketching their personalities, the poet ostensibly criticizes the clergy, notes tendencies, and reflects the realities: the clergy’s fragmentation, the rise of corrupted monks, and the dissemination of Wycliffe’s views. The negative image of the church is set against by the almost angelic personality of Parson, the parish priest, romanticized by Chaucer. “But riche he was of holy thought and werk. He was also a learned man, a clerk” (Chaucer, 2012, p.56). It’s worth noting that Chaucer was a devout Catholic throughout his life. Thus, his sarcastic image of the clergy was not accusatory towards the Catholic Church or faith, but rather its bearers.
Overall, the content of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” is strongly linked to his social experiences. As a result of his divergent occupations at different periods, he was able to have close contact with people from all classes, such as nobles, clergy, tradesmen, and peasantry. Besides the narration of medieval historical events and portrayals of the main characters, Chaucer also gives evaluation by ironically criticizing the clergy’s greed and reflecting on the fading chivalric values. The poet’s unique worldview towards 14th-century society is demonstrated in a sympathetic and practical depiction of the rising middle class, an equivocal evaluation of chivalry, the lack of attention to the peasantry, and mockery of the clergy.
Reference
Chaucer, G. (2012). The canterbury tales. Broadview Press.