Author's style

Chaucer uses several stylistic devices to liven his portraits of the tellers of the tales. One such device was the use of what the Medieval people termed "the colors of rhetoric". This merely meant the devices by which an artist varied and elaborated his usage of words. Chaucer followed the rhetorical principles laid down by Gaufred de Vinsauf in his "Nova Poetria". These include the description whereby a character is described from the top to the bottom right down to the toe - nail. An example is Chaucer’s description of the magnificent cock Chaunticleer in the Nun's Priest’s Tale. The second principle is exclamation whereby the emotional importance of the situation is highlighted. This is Chaucer’s favorite device. The third device is digression, which involves digressions to develop a point of view within the story. There are numerous examples of such digressions. Chaunticleer in the Nun's Priest Tale for instance cites classical authorities to support his argument that dreams are forewarnings of the future.

Another device is collation or the introduction of comparisons of moderate length. Chaucer frequently adds color to his tales through the use of comparisons. Yet another device is interpretation which enlarges and reinterprets an already stated opinion. The circumlocution amplifies a simple idea by a long - winded description. The opposito is another device whereby a fact is stated by denying its opposite. For instance the Parson’s character is established in the General Prologue by stressing what he does not have in common with the average parish priests who let out their benefices on hire and run off to London in search of money by singing masses for the dead. Yet another device is occupation which is a method of cutting a tale short. For instance the Knight does not describe Duke Theseus’s heroic battles by saying that it will make the tale too long and cumbersome. There are many other principles of rhetoric but these are the main ones used by Chaucer to add vibrancy and life to his magnificent book, The Canterbury Tales.

Chaucer's use of language

Chaucer wrote in Middle English which extended from 1100 AD to 1500 AD His English is a kind of mongrel language enriched by extensive borrowing of French words. While Chaucer’s language sounds strange to the modern ear, surprisingly his South-East Midland dialect is the closest to Modern English. Chaucer’s language evolved from Old English which extended from 597 AD to 1100 AD Middle English thus has certain peculiar attributes which it acquired from its source language. Old English was an inflected language; that is, the endings of several words changed in accordance with their semantic function. Much of this difficult intricacy disappeared by Chaucer’s time. But many words retained an -e ending, which is not pronounced in Modern English. For example, ‘ende’, ‘newe’ and the like have inflectional endings, which are simply not pronounced in Modern English. Words also retained the ending ‘s’ or ‘es’ in the plural and in the possessive.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS (continued)

The Friar

The Friar, Brother Hubert, is among Chaucer’s portraits of the corrupt clergy. The Friar is a gay, merry, wanton man. He is a seeker of pleasure. He is a limiter; i.e. he is licensed to solicit alms within certain assigned limits. He is a grand imposing man and the only member in all the four orders of the Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, who was so well-versed in the language of dalliance and flattery. In contrast to the Monks, Friars had the liberty to preach outside the monastery walls and they followed the ideal of active as opposed to contemplative service. The prime objective of the Friars however was to attack evil and sinners by preaching among the people. However this mendicant life soon degenerated into a pleasurable way of life. Friars transformed begging into an extremely profitable business proposition. Moreover Friars who were supposed to guard people against evil themselves committed venal sins like seducing village girls and married women by their sweet talk and gifts. Chaucer’s lecherous Friar too has arranged marriages of many young girls whom he had seduced. He is thoroughly familiar with the tricks of the trade and his hood is always stuffed with trinkets cherished by gullible women. Chaucer ironically commends the Friar as a strong pillar of the church.

The Friar is very familiar with the rich and powerful men of his town. He claims to have more power to hear a confession than a parson does and his absolution is pleasant since he easily grants pardon whenever he is certain of a good offering. He argues that many hard-hearted men could not weep even if they are truly repentant for their sins. In such cases charity to friars is equivalent to tears and prayers. The Friar has a merry voice and could sing well to the accompaniment of a rote (a stringed instrument). He always won the best prize in ballad singing competitions. His musical ability helps in his seduction of women. He has a lily-white neck although he has an athletic constitution. This corrupt Friar is well acquainted with all the innkeepers and barmaids but avoids the poor beggars and lepers like the plague. Chaucer sarcastically comments that it is neither fitting nor profitable for the Friar to associate himself with such poor people. Chaucer then commends the Friar for his humility, virtuousness, and courtesy. He is indeed the best beggar of his order and has the ability to extract money from even the poorest of the poor. For even if a poor widow did not have a shoe / sou (French coin), the Friar’s recitation of "In principio" was so pleasant that he would extort a farthing from her before he left. The proceeds of his begging were far greater than the rent that he paid to the church. Moreover the Friar was actively involved in settling secular matters on love-days. Love days were days appointed for out of court settlement of disputes under the arbitration of the clergy. Gradually the practice degenerated and the church forbade the clergy to arbitrate except in case of the poor. Chaucer’s comment that the Friar actively participated on love days is an indirect criticism since the readers know that the Friar does not associate with the poor. The Friar is not like an ascetic wearing threadbare clothes. Rather he is wearing a well pressed double worsted coat. Hubert lisps in order to make his speech sound sweet. His eyes twinkle in his head like stars in a frosty night. Chaucer’s ironic portrait of the merry, sweet, pleasant and worthy Friar is an excellent satire against the corrupt clergy.

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