This is based on the age of Chaucer, its historical background literary characteristics and major literary figures.

1. The age of Chaucer
BY TRUSHALI DODIYA
SEM 1
A STUDENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
MAHARAJA KRISHNAKUMARSINGHJI BHAVNAGAR UNIVERSITY

2. Historical background
 According to William J. Long, two great movements can
benoted during 14th century:
1. Political Movement
2. Social Movement

3. 1. Political Movement :-
 Reign of Edward III,
 Emergence of great national spirit and patriotic enthusiasm.
 English became the speech of court and parliament, means french
language started to disappear.
2. Social movement:-
 Reign of Richard II
 Contrast between luxury and poverty, idle wealthy classes and the
overtaxed peasants
 English people began to be conquering and colonising people, like
Anglo-Saxon
 Increasing Trade, People became traveller, going first toview places
where trade had opened the way, and returning With wider interests
and a larger horizons.

4. Other important historical aspects
 Revolution of 1399, deposition of Richard II and foundation
of Lancastrian dynasty- greater importance in social and
intellectual movements
 Overthrown and again accession of Lancastrian
 Standardisation of English language
 Expansion of trade
 Plagues – Black death(4 times, first in 1348-49, reappeared
in 1362, 1367 and 1370) which whipped half of the
population
 Personal rebellion – peasants’ war
 Corruption mainly within the Roman Catholic Church

5.  Plagues – Black death(4 times, first in 1348-49, reappeared
in 1362, 1367 and 1370) which whipped half of the
population
 Hundred years’ War(it was over 116 years, though it is called
as hundred years’War)
 It was not a single war but series of wars
 As a result of the hundred years’War there were famine,
death, anarchy, tyranny, wars, heavy Taxation.
 The common people suffered from All the consequences of
the war not wealthy or couriers or churchmen)
 It also cause Peasant’s rebellion

6. Literary characteristics
 The entire age is known as the age of Chaucer.
 The time period of this age has literary glory by
the works of Geoffrey Chaucer
 The age is also known as the real starting point or
opening moment of English literature.

7. Literary characteristics
1. Standardisation of English language –
>East Midland speech as standard speech
>The language of the capital city as well as of the
universities
2. Modern note:-
> Sharper spirit of criticism
. > Searching interest in man’s affairs
> Influence of humanism
> Writer started to reveal or use their name for their works,
instead Of anonymous publication

8. 3.Foundation of English prose style –
> works of Mandeville and Malory
. > Latin and French were losing grip as popular
prose medium
> Wycliffe’s translation from Italian to English
> Wycliffe’s pamphlets which were constroversial
and show the power of vernacular (over Latin) for
theological discussion.
> The travels of sir John Mandeville, his constested
authorship and it was believed that it could be a
compilation of stories translated from French. And also it is
believed as a first English prose classic available.

9. Development of literary forms
1. Poetry:-
 The lyrics – chiefly the religious and love lyrics
 The Rise of Ballads
 The rise of the Allegories
 Descriptive and narrative poems
2. Prose:-
 Civil records
 Simple, straightforward, and free style
 Translations of Bible by Wycliffe
.

10. Age of Transition
 Rise of middle class
 Birth to Nationalism
 Feudal to free society
 Humanism – spirit of antiquity, critical
attitude and new learning
 Expansion of English literature

11. All these historical, literary and
transitional aspects led English
literature as well the English people
to the emergence of English
Renaissance

12. Major literary figures
Geoffrey Chaucer:-
 Father of English poetry
 Entire age is known as the Age of Chaucer, it tells us the
glory of his work
 Chaucer is believed as the starting point of English
literature , Rising star of English literature
 Influenced by Franch, Italian and English language and
literature
 Lived under Three monarch

13. Major Works of Chaucer
 Canterbury Tales
 Troilus and Criseyde
 Blanche of Lancaster
 Anelida and Arcite
 The romance of the roses
 The house of fame
 The legend of Good women

14. Other writers / poets
 William Langland
 John Wyclif
 John Mandeville
 John Gower
 John Barbour
 Sir Thomas Malory

15. Reference
 Edward Albert, History of English literature
 W. J. Long, History of English literature
 https://youtu.be/_wxjDUPqkCk age of Chaucer
 Britannica, Age of Chaucer
 Wikipedia, age of Chaucer

16. Thank you