Literary Legacies: Chaucer’s Medieval World & Mansfield’s Modern Narratives
Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer, born in London in 1343 and died in 1400, was buried in Westminster Abbey. An English poet, author, and diplomat, he worked as a courtier and customs official. He is widely known as the “Father of English Literature”. His most famous work, The Canterbury Tales, is characterized by its insightful portrayal of medieval society through diverse characters and stories.
Chaucer’s Life and Influences
Chaucer’s life and work were significantly influenced by classical literature and Italian poets such as Dante Alighieri and Giovanni Boccaccio (author of The Decameron).
The Canterbury Tales: A Literary Landmark
The Canterbury Tales is:
- A collection of 24 stories written in Middle English.
- Framed as a storytelling contest among pilgrims traveling to Canterbury.
- Blends humor, morality, and satire.
- Written in verse, primarily in rhyming couplets.
The pilgrims travel to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. Once there, the Host suggests a storytelling contest to entertain them, and each pilgrim tells tales reflecting their personality and social status.
Key Characters in The Canterbury Tales
- The Knight: Noble and chivalrous.
- The Wife of Bath: Strong-willed and experienced in love.
- The Pardoner: A corrupt churchman who sells fake relics.
- The Miller: A crude and humorous storyteller.
These characters represent diverse aspects of medieval society.
Major Themes in The Canterbury Tales
- Social class and hierarchy
- Corruption in the Church
- Gender roles and power dynamics
- Morality and human nature
- The power of storytelling
Chaucer’s Writing Style
- Written in Middle English.
- Employs satire and irony to critique society.
- Mixes genres: romance, fabliau, allegory, and sermons.
Legacy of The Canterbury Tales
- Recognized as one of the first major works in English literature.
- Offers historical context of 14th-century England.
- Inspired later poets like William Shakespeare and John Dryden.
- Still studied and adapted today.
Katherine Mansfield and “Miss Brill”
Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp was born on October 14, 1888, in Wellington, New Zealand. She moved to London in 1903 to attend Queen’s College. Inspired by Anton Chekhov (the Russian writer), she struggled with tuberculosis for six years. She died at age 34 on January 9, 1923, in France.
Katherine Mansfield: A Modernist Voice
Mansfield is known for her significant contributions to short stories and novels. Her writing is characterized by an impressionistic style, exploring themes such as isolation, anxiety, relationships, sexuality, and the beauty of life. She was close friends with Virginia Woolf, who admired her work.
Notable Works by Katherine Mansfield
- The Garden Party (1922): Themes include class distinctions, death, and the fleeting nature of life.
- Bliss (1918): Explores illusion versus reality, self-deception, and the fragility of happiness.
- Daughter of the Late Colonel (1921): Focuses on repression, loss, and the struggle for independence.
- Miss Brill (1920): Explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the passage of time.
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Written by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400), The Wife of Bath’s Tale is one of the 24 stories in The Canterbury Tales collection. Told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral, it was written in Middle English in the late 14th century and is set in King Arthur’s time (legendary medieval Britain).
Key Themes in The Wife of Bath’s Tale
- Sovereignty and power in relationships
- Appearance versus reality
- True nobility comes from actions, not birth
- Redemption through learning
- The importance of women’s autonomy
Cultural and Historical Context
- Medieval views on marriage and gender roles
- Chivalric code of conduct
- Class structures in medieval England
- How Chaucer challenged conventional thinking
- Early feminist perspectives in literature
Character Profile: The Wife of Bath
- Alison (or Alisoun): Married five times.
- Wealthy cloth-maker.
- Experienced traveler.
- Known for being outspoken about marriage and women’s sovereignty.
- One of Chaucer’s most memorable characters.
The Wife’s Prologue
Before telling her tale, the Wife delivers a lengthy prologue. She:
- Discusses her five marriages and views on relationships.
- Argues for women’s dominance in marriage.
- Explains how she manipulated her husbands.
- Sets up themes that will appear in her tale.
The Tale Begins: The Knight’s Crime
The tale begins with a knight of the Round Table who commits a crime: he sexually assaults a young maiden. According to law, he should be executed.
Queen Guinevere’s Challenge
Queen Guinevere intervenes to save the knight. She gives him a challenge: discover what women desire most. He has one year to find the answer. If he succeeds, his life will be spared; if he fails, he will be executed.
The Knight’s Quest for the Answer
The Knight travels throughout the land, asking many women what they desire most. He receives different answers from each woman, growing desperate as his deadline approaches.
Meeting the Old Woman
On his way back to court, the Knight meets an old, ugly woman. She promises to give him the correct answer if he will grant her a favor later: he must marry her. The Knight agrees, desperate to save his life.
The Knight’s Answer to the Queen
The Knight returns to court to give his answer. He states, “Women desire sovereignty over their husbands and lovers.” The court agrees this is correct, and the Knight’s life is spared.
The Old Woman’s Request and Lesson
The old woman demands her favor: the Knight must marry her. The Knight is horrified but must keep his promise. They marry, but he refuses to be intimate with her, miserable about her age and appearance. The old woman then gives the Knight a lesson about true nobility, explaining that nobility comes from deeds, not birth.
The Knight’s Choice
She offers him a choice: to have her old and ugly but faithful and good, or young and beautiful but potentially unfaithful.
Resolution of the Tale
The Knight gives the choice back to the old woman. By giving her sovereignty (control), he proves he has learned the lesson. She rewards him by becoming both beautiful and faithful, and they live happily together.