Tuesday April 10 2018 10 am to 12 noon
Nothing
gives us a better idea of medieval life than Geoffrey Chaucer’s The
Canterbury Tales. Written in the late fourteenth century in the
vernacular, it gives us an idea of the vast spectrum of people that made
up the different classes within society. The poem describes the
knightly class, the clergy, and those who worked for a living, thus
describing the different classes as well. Chaucer gives us a
cross-section of fourteenth century society by giving us the small
details of people’s clothing, demeanour and professions; therefore
giving us information on the lower and middle classes, not discussed in
literature before.
Geoffrey Chaucer survived The Black Death’s peak at around age six, where twenty per cent of England’s population died.
The
Canterbury Tales was one of the first works of literature actually
written in English. Since society was ruled by the Church and the Church
exercised in Latin, most of what was written by authors before the
fourteenth century was in Latin or in the other major languages in
Europe: Italian or French. English was seen as vulgar and only for the
lower classes as it was these classes who would not be able to read or
write in any other languages because that would mean they had the money
to be educated. Chaucer made English literature more acceptable by
writing The Canterbury Tales. It also brings light in the evolution of
our language and how people of the Late Middle Ages pronounced the
words.
Chaucer
constructed the prologue in such a way that it gives a panoramic view
of fourteenth century society. It allows us to see the lower classes of
this time that would otherwise be unknown. The elite (those who would
write in the educated languages of Latin and French) could only describe
their own upper class. However, here it can be learned of what people
wore, the different styles, qualities and colours.
Imagine
a writer who is equally at home with romantic adventure and devotional
meditation, or who brings the fullest measure of brilliance to ribald
comedy and grave tragedy alike. Add a talent for creating unforgettable
characters and keenly painting social relationships. Top it all off with
a gift for expression so pure and scintillating that no less an
authority than Edmund Spenser was moved to laud this writer's works as a
"well of English pure and undefiled.
Now
you have Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400), one of our grandest and most
enduring poets; an architect of our vocabulary and our literary style.
By
examining texts from his short love lyrics to the copious profusion of
character and incident that is The Canterbury Tales, this course
prepares you for the challenges of Chaucer's oeuvre, and provides an
understanding of what makes him the "founder" of English literature and
language.
This is a thirteen week course and cost £65. For more details ring 07592330467 or email squabs@hotmail.co.uk.
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