The_Age_of_Chaucer.pptVIP

The Age of Chaucer 1340-1400 Full wise is he that can himselven knowe. — Geoffrey Chaucer 1. Historical Background 1 The Hundred Years War 1337-1453 : a. awakening of English national consciousness； b. French was replaced by English native tongue. 2 Uprising of 1381: conflict between the peasants and feudal lords. 3 1360-1400????The summit of Medieval English literature. 2. The two contemporaries of Chaucer: John Wycliff 威克利夫 : the “Father of English prose”; the leader of religious reformation; translating the Bible into Middle English. William Langland 威廉.兰格伦）: The Vision of Piers Plowman. 《农夫皮尔斯》 an allegory. 3. Life Experience 1340?-1400  Birth: 1340, a wine merchant’s family Rich experience: Court, Italy, France ; Various jobs: page, diplomat,controller of the customs, justice, knight,king Clerk, civil servant Death: 1400, Bried in Westerminster Abbey the first to enter the Poets’ Corner 4. Chaucer’s Wide Learning a good knowledge of French, a good knowledge of Italian, a good knowledge of Latin, knowledge of astronomy, alchemy abundant knowledge of the world a man of affairs as well as a man of books Qualified to be the founder of English poetry. 5. Political Intendancy Influenced by: John of Gaunt 贡特约翰 , Chaucer’s patron. John Wycliffe 1320-84 a. the radical reformer; b. founded a sect of poor preachers called the “Lollards who preached a teaching against the Catholic Church, and thus helped in preparing the Rising of 1381. Chaucer’s Political attitude: opposing Catholicism attacking the corruption of the contemporary church government in his poems. 6. Chaucer’s Literary Career: Three periods of life: in France in Italy settled down in England Three Periods of Literary Creation: works translated from French; works adapted from the Italian; works purely English: The Canterbury Tales 7. Chaucer’s Major Works １．The Romaunt of the Rose 《玫瑰传奇》 　The Book of the Dutchess 《公爵夫人书》 ２．The House of Fame 《声誉之堂》 　　The Parliament of F