英国文学-2.-The-Age-of--Chaucer.pptxVIP

Chapter 3 The Age of Chaucer Ⅰ Historical BackgroundThe Hundred Years’ War 2. The Peasant Uprising of 1381 Ⅱ Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) Life and literary career: Son of a wine merchant; grew up in London, then already a busy port. In 1357 served at court as a page. Three periods: * In 1358 ~ Joined the army, took part in the Hundred Years’ War and was taken prisoner. Literary accomplishments : Imitated French poetry and even translated French poems himself. Romance of the Rose (《玫瑰传奇》) * In 1360 ~ Returned to England, and got married to a maid of honor to the queen. For the next ten years he was sent to the Continent on diplomatic missions . Literary accomplishments: Wrote mainly under the influence of the Italian culture, and his creativeness showed itself through borrowed themes. Troilus and Cryseyde （《特洛伊罗斯和克瑞西达》） The Parliament of Fowls （《百鸟议会》） The House of Fame（ 《声誉殿堂》 ） In 1382~ Was appointed Controller of Customs at the port of London, and four years later elected Member of Parliament. Chaucer died on Oct. 25, 1400 and was buried in what has since become known as the Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. Literary achievement: The Canterbury Tales Had his own choice of subject, his own grasp of character and his own diction and plot. Ⅲ The Canterbury Tales (1387-1400) The Canterbury Tales (《坎特伯雷故事集》) is Chaucer’ s masterpiece and one of the monumental works in English literature. The work was left unfinished upon the death of the poet in 1400. 1. Outline of the Story (P. 36-37) It should have been an immense work of 120 tales. Only 20 complete stories and 4 fragments were written. But, incomplete as they are, these tales cover practically all the major types of medieval literature: courtly romance, folk tale, beast fable, story of travel and adventure, saint’s life, allegorical (寓言) tale, sermon, alchemical (炼金术) account, and others. All these tales but two are written in verse. Structure of the Work The General Prologue +t