AD LIT: How to use an Astrolabe; Treatise on the Astrolabe, Geoffroy Chaucer

 Why you might read The Treatise on the Astrolabe?

This Treatise is the first description of a scientific instrument or technical manual in English. As such it is an interesting read. Chaucer did not finish it. In his introduction, he details five sections but we only have the first two. In my Self Education project, it rounds out Chaucer's work. As well as being an interesting romp into an obscure scientific instrument of the 1400s.

Synopsis of The Treatise on the Astrolabe

 The Treatise is a letter to a young Lewis. This may or may not be Chaucer's son. The introduction indicates five sections but we only have the first two. These cover a in-depth description of the instrument itself. The translation I used had a diagram of the description which helped with visualisation. The second section is instructions on its use in normal situations. As well as a series of variations.  

Reflections on The Treatise on the Astrolabe

Not having an Astrolabe to look at and interact with made this text rather challenging. Of course, it being in middle English didn't help either. That being said it was still an interesting read.

It was interesting to look at some of the older ideas around horoscopes. Today we only see horoscopes online or in magazines. And they have their own language and term. In this treatise, we see how those terms came to be and what is meant by having a planet in retrograde or a planet being in a sign.

What others have to say about The Treatise on the Astrolabe

"His Treatise on the astrolabe was written during the 1390s. It is the first 'technical manual' of its kind to be written in English instead of Latin, Greek, or Arabic." From St Johns College

Comparisons with other texts

This isn't the first technical document in my Self Education project. We have seen works by Hippocrates which are all factual pieces. For example On Surgery gives a detailed description of how to bandage patients. By contrast, this treatise is on a single instrument and how to manipulate it.

This is very different from Chaucer's other original work. Well semi-original as it is said to be based on two other works, but it is not a translation. His other original work is almost entirely in verse. By contrast, this treatise is entirely in prose. The Canterbury Tales is more about telling stories. Whereas this treatise is entirely factual. It also has a specific recipient in mind rather than the broad audience of the Tales.

Conclusion

This is a tricky work to get your head around. But it is a clear description of the instrument called the Astrolabe and its working. While it is not as well known as the Canterbury tales it shows a different side of Chaucer. In all, it gives some background to modern-day horoscopes.

Have you read The Treatise on the Astrolabe? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Treatise on the Astrolabe but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Treatise on the Astrolabe. 

The Doctor's through the Parson's Tales; The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer

Why you might read The Canterbury Tales?

The Canterbury Tales is the most well-known work of Chaucer. And Chaucer is the father of English literature. So if you are going to read any of his work here is the place to start. No Self-Education project is complete without this classic. Be warned though it is rather long, and if you don't want to read middle English find a good modern translation.

Synopsis of The Canterbury Tales(Part 2)

The Doctor's Tale:

A corrupt judge lusts after a virgin daughter and puts together a plot to get her in his power. He puts together a case with the story that she is a slave that her father has abducted. The father sees through this plot and kills the daughter to save her. The judge then conspires to put the father to death but the people rebel and through the judge in jail. In jail he kills himself. 

The Pardoner's Tale:

Three friends go to kill death after another friend dies. They find him under an oak tree beside him is a pile of gold. They quickly forget about death and plan to take the money in the morning. They draw straws for someone to go to town for food and drink. The two left then plan to stab the one fetching food and drink. But the one who went to town poisons the wine. So the two kill the third and then die from the poison in the wine.

The Shipman's Tale:

A Shipman's wife spends too much money and ends up in debt. She asks a monk, a close friend for money. He borrows it off the shipman and gives it to her. He tells the shipman he has repaid the money to the wife. The shipman confronts his wife and she returns the money and says she will pay the debts with her body.

The Prioress' Tale:

Jews abduct a Christian boy. When he doesn't stop singing to the virgin Mary they kill him by slitting his throat. They throw him in the sewer, but he keeps singing. His family find him and he explains the virgin Mary helped him keep singing.

Chaucer’s Tale of Sir Thopas:

A parody of romantic poems. This start with Sir Thopas searching for the Elf Queen. He is distracted by fighting with the giant Sir Olifaunt. Here the tale ends as the Innkeeper interrupts Chaucer and begs him to stop.

Chaucer's Tale of Meliboeus:

Unlike every other tale, this one is told in prose. This tale is a conversation between a husband and wife. The wife is trying to convince the husband to forgive a wrong and not seek revenge. They go back and forth with both appealing to historical and biblical figures. Eventually, the husband concedes but still chastises the wrongdoers before forgiving them.

The Monk's Tale:

The monk tells 17 short tales. These come from the bible and historical tales. They range from Adam to Lucifer, and Nero to Julius Caesar.

The Nun's Priest's Tale:

A cock and his hens are looked after by a simple family. The cock is showy and proud. The cock has a dream about being killed but the hens convince him it was nothing. He exits the henhouse that morning and meets a fox and is alarmed. But the fox convinces him that he is a friend and asks him to sing. While he is singing the fox grabs him by the neck and runs off into the forest with him. The cock escapes into the forest and the fox tries to trick him again but he is too smart for that.

The Nun's Second Tale:

A Christian maid is married to a pagan man. She on their wedding night tells him of her guardian angel. He doesn't believe her so she sends him on a pilgrimage to see a saint. He converts upon meeting with the saint. He returns to her and see's her angel who gives him one wish. He wishes his brother to have faith in God. The brother converts and travels to the saint to be baptised. The brothers are then martyred.

The Canon's Yeoman's Tale:

An Alchemist swindles a priest with a powder to turn mercury into silver. The con is rather elaborate and the priest is convinced and pays a large sum. The Alchemist gets away before the deception is uncovered.

The Manciple's Tale:

A jealous husband keeps his wife at home but she stays and takes a lover anyway. This husband owns a snow-white crow that can mimic human speech and voice. The crow tells the husband of his wife's infidelity and in a rage, the husband kills his wife. He then feels remorse for this and blames the crow. He then plucks the bird and turns it black.

The Parson's Tale:

This is not a tale but rather a treatise on the deadly sins and repentance in Christ. The translation I was working from does not give it in full. Instead mixes summary with full text in what is otherwise a very long text.

Reflections on The Canterbury Tales(Part 2)

The treatise that is the Parson's Tale really drives home the position of the Parson as a teacher of the faith. We have seen other religious men tell tales. By contrast, the parson chooses to preach rather than do something as frivolous as telling a tale or jape. He even says as much in his introduction.

Chaucer's prayer at the end of the text is interesting. He seems to ask forgiveness for his works. It starts out as a meaty prayer, which is to be expected of his time when the church was so much more dominant.

The self-insert of Chaucer feels a little out of place. Yet at the same time, it gives the author a first-hand look at the tales he is telling. It becomes a retelling of something that could have happened rather than a story made up of whole cloth.

What others have to say about The Canterbury Tales

"One character specifically used to reflect Chaucer's views on  Scottish culture, the lower class, and corrupt businessmen is the Miler" From Bartleby

"He along with other pilgrimages gathered on a spring evening at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, the place of departure and arrival for the pilgrimages to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury." From Poem Analysis

Comparisons with other texts

The Legend of Good Women is also a collection by Chaucer. It is much more compact and tells Chaucer's versions of stories of well-known women. By contrast, the Canterbury Tales is focused more on men. The Canterbury tales are a mix of well-known tales as well as more original ones. It is also held together by a meta-narrative rather than a theme. 

Like the Everyman and Miracle Plays we see a set of tales that tell us as much about the author and his times as they do about the stories themselves. The Everyman and Miracle Plays however have a biblical theme and a multitude of authors. By contrast, while priests and monks may be characters in the Tales the themes are not religious.

Conclusion

This second half of the Canterbury tales covered a variety of stories. These often invoke another pilgrim to tell a story in response. They are not linked by theme but rather by a meta-narrative told between each story. These tales come from a diverse group of pilgrims heading for Canterbury. It ends with Chaucer praying.

Have you read The Canterbury Tales? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Canterbury Tales but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Canterbury Tales. 

The Knights through to the Franklins Tales; The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer

Why you might read The Canterbury Tales?

The Canterbury Tales is the most well-known work of Chaucer. And Chaucer is the father of English literature. So if you are going to read any of his work here is the place to start. No Self-Education project is complete without this classic. Be warned though it is rather long, and if you don't want to read middle English find a good translation.

Synopsis of The Canterbury Tales(Part 1)

Woven around the tales themselves is a meta-narrative of a group of pilgrims telling stories at the behest of their host.

The Knight's Tale:

Two knights are imprisoned and fall in love with the woman they see out of the prison window. One gets released, the other exiled. The exiled one sneaks back and enters the lady's service. They come across each other and duel for the lady. One is wounded and wins the lady. Before dying in his bed he tells her she should marry the other as he loves her.

The Miller's Tale:

Is a Bawdy tale of a wife who has an affair with the border. She is also desired by another who comes to her window and begs for a kiss. She agrees but presents her behind out the window which he kisses. He goes away angry and returns to beg for another kiss. This time the lover presents his behind but is branded with a hot iron for his troubles.                            

The Revee's Tale:

Is another Bawdy tale. This time of a miller who is dishonest. He cheats two students with their grain. They get revenge by sleeping with his wife.

The Cook's Tale:

A short fragment of an Apprentice cook who loses his job for womanising and gambling.

The Man of Law's Tale:

A Muslim sultan converts to Christianity to marry an Italian girl. His mother is livid and has all at a feast killed including the Sultan, but sparing the girl.

The girl is then sent back to Italy but is shipwrecked. Here she is courted by a suitor who she rebuffs. In anger, he then kills the local lord's wife and plants the knife on the girl. The trial acquits her but the Emperor who is the Judge then marries the girl. They have a son. but again the mother inlaw schemes. This time she gets the girl sent off to sea. When the Emperor comes home he kills his mother for having deprived him of his wife and son. Eventually, though he finds them in Rome and moves to England.

The Wife of Bath's Tale:

A young woman is raped by a knight. King Arthur wants him killed but Guinevere talks him into letting her sentence him. She gives him one year and a day to find out what a woman most wants. He searches the kingdom but every woman gives him a different answer. He eventually meets an old hag who says she will tell him if he promises to do what she asks. He returns to court and announces what a woman most want is sovereignty over their husband. All the women agree he is right and he is freed. the old woman demands he marry her, which he does grudgingly. once in bed she asks if he would rather have a young woman and he says it is her choice. with that he finds her changed into a young woman for he has given her that sovereignty.

The Friar's Tale:

A summoner meets a bailiff who turns out to be the devil. They make a pact to take whatever they can and share it. They come across a man with a stuck horse and cart. He says devil take it all and the summoner asks why the devil doesn't. He explains that the man doesn't mean it. The summoner tries to swindle a widow but she tells the devil to take him. He questions her intent and she says she means it so the devil takes the summoner to hell.

The Sompnour's Tale:

A friar on his deathbed is begged by two monks to make a donation to their order. He agrees to give them a jewel but it turns out to just be a fart.

The Clerk's Tale:

A Marquis marries a low-born woman and subjects her to horrible tests of love. these include the removal of their children and her demotion from wife to a maid. When she passes all the tests he proclaims his love and returns the children.

The Merchant's Tale:

A man marries for all the wrong reasons a young woman. His squire falls in love with her, and she reciprocates. They contrive to be together. By this time the man is old and blind. The squire waits in a tree in the garden and the young woman talks her way into going up the tree. The old man receives his sight back from the gods to find them in the tree having sex. But the young woman talks her way out of it by saying he is going mad,

The Squire's Tale:

This tale is incomplete. A king receives four magical gifts; A brass horse, a mirror, a sword and The speech of birds. The horse is incredibly fast and reliable. The mirror shows the future. The sword can cut through armour and heal wounds.

The Franklin's Tale:

A woman's husband is away at sea and a young man comes to love her. she promises to be with him if he removes the rocks from the shore. He manages this with a magic illusion. Her husband insists she must uphold her promise. But the young man releases her from the promise upon seeing her love for her husband.

Reflections on The Canterbury Tales(Part 1)

Tying the stories together with a meta-narrative is quite interesting. The stories themselves do not share any theme or anything else to tie them together. This makes one story out of what would have otherwise been a collections of short stories told as poems.

The incomplete tales tell us just enough to have us hooked and wishing we could know the rest of the story.

The back and forth between the storytellers show us the group dynamics. The group might be together on a pilgrimage but that doesn't mean they respect or like each other. We often see the roles reversed in stories that come after each other. This is based mostly on occupation. In fact, very little else is known about the storytellers other than their occupation.

What others have to say about The Canterbury Tales

"One of the reasons Chaucer is so important is that he made the decision to write in English and not French. In the centuries following the Norman invasion, French was the language spoken by those in power. The Canterbury Tales was one of the first major works in literature written in English." From the British Library

"Chaucer does not name himself in the General Prologue, but he is one of the characters who gather at the Tabard Inn. All of the descriptions of the pilgrims in the Prologue are narrated through the perspective of the character of Chaucer (which may or may not be the same as that of the author Chaucer)." From LitCharts

Comparisons with other texts

The Legend of Good Women is also a collection by Chaucer. It is much more compact and tells Chaucer's versions of stories of well-known women. By contrast, the Canterbury Tales is focused more on men. The Canterbury tales are a mix of well-known tales as well as more original ones. It is also held together by a meta-narrative rather than a theme. 

Like the Everyman and Miracle Plays we see a set of tales that tell us as much about the author and his times as they do about the stories themselves. The Everyman and Miracle Plays however have a biblical theme and a multitude of authors. By contrast, while priests and monks may be characters in the Tales the themes are not religious.

Conclusion

This first half of the Canterbury tales covered a variety of stories. These often invoke another pilgrim to tell a story in response. They are not linked by theme but rather by a meta-narrative told between each story. These tales come from a diverse group of pilgrims heading for Canterbury.

Have you read The Canterbury Tales? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Canterbury Tales but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Canterbury Tales. 

A collection of tales of betrayal; The Legend of Good Women, Geoffrey Chaucer

Why you might read The Legend of Good Women?

 

One of Chaucer's anthologies rather than a single story. This makes them a bite-sized way to get into reading Chaucer. While they have common themes they do each stand alone. It is not one of his most well-known pieces but it does give a different perception of some more classical tales. 

Synopsis of The Legend of Good Women

Spanning Cleopatra, Thisbe, Dido, Hypsipyle and Medea, Lucretia, Ariadne, Philomela, Phyllis, and Hypermnestra.  These are very different stories they have one thing in common. This ish that they praise the women and portray the men in a bad light. In most cases, the man is untrue to his woman. He does this by either seeking and finding another or by leaving her alone somewhere. 

Lucretia stands out as she is raped by one of her husband's men. She tells her husband and family about it. While asking their forgiveness concedes that they shouldn't forgive her. Having laid it out in front of her family she commits suicide with a dagger to the heart.

Hypsipyle and Medea are grouped together in most editions. This is due to them both being about women betrayed by Jason. In both cases, he is married to them but skives off out of the country to find another woman. Medea helps him with his quest for the golden fleece and is promised marriage for her help. While he does marry her he also leaves without returning.

In Cleopatra, Mark Antony leaves his wife in search of another. He ends up in Egypt and falls in love with Cleopatra. He hears that the brother of his wife is angry with him and coming to kill him. They meet out at sea and Mark Antony is defeated. He then kills himself out of humiliation. When Cleopatra heard of this she has a hole dug beside his grave. she then have it filled with snakes and lays in it to die beside him.

Reflections on The Legend of Good Women

Suicide due to humiliation is foreign to me as a modern western reader. This is not the first time I have come across it, however. I still find it a little disturbing as I was always taught to cherish life. This requires a mindset of death over dishonour. This is something we see more of today outside the west. 

Chaucer's handling of rape was interesting as well. He was very matter of fact about it but did not see the need to go into the details. He also attributes the situation to the man's lust. This may be a frank portrayal of the situation or it may be a nod to morality. That it's a sin of the mind that precedes a sin of the body.

His handling of women and making him the good in his stories are interesting for his time. Or at least in the way that the modern world sees the past. We see Women lauded for being true and doing their duty and we see the men as rascals. While in modern times we are about to throw down men's place at the head. This is a warning tale of just how fickle those heads can be. Male headship has its place but it needs checks and balances.

What others have to say about The Legend of Good Women

"But, he wonders, what is the point of cataloguing old stories everyone already knows and forcing them to fit into a predesigned moral grid? Chaucer never seems to enjoy single-minded views but always prefers multiple perspectives. Here he is forced to question the purpose of old stories being repeated, from tellers/translators and for listeners. " From Dr. Michael Delahoyde

Like much of Chaucer's oeuvre, Chaucer's Legend of Good Women cannot be certainly dated and survives only in an incomplete form. Both factors bear on the larger issues of the poem's interpretation. From Cambridge University Press

Comparisons with other texts

The Legend of Good Women retells some stories from Greek mythology and plays. Medea by Euripides covers similar content. Chaucer has summarised it down to just the acts of Jason against Medea and not her revenge. This gives Chaucers telling a very different focus and takeaway. Here Chaucer focuses on her positive attributes and Jasons negatives. Instead of showing how low she would also stoop. It is interesting that Chaucer chooses to retell known tales. This means that although he can spin it his audience does tend to know the outcome.

Troilus and Chrisyde is a  story of a single couple. By contrast, the Legend of Good Women is more of an anthology. Here Chaucer links together shorter poems on a single theme instead. In doing so he at times seems to almost repeat stories with just a few details changed. His writing of course is rather different but the bones of the stories are very similar

Conclusion

The Legend of Good Women is less known than his big-name collection, The Canterbury Tales. These cover the wrongs done by men and the upstanding nature of the women involved. It covers what we now consider hard topics such as suicide and rape but it does so in a matter of fact way. The bite-sized nature of the individual stories makes it an easier work of Chaucers to pick up.

Have you read The Legend of Good Women? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Legend of Good Women but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Legend of Good Women. 

Betrayal of love at Troy; Troilus and Criseyde, Chaucer

 Why you might read Troilus and Criseyde?

Troilus and Criseyde is the second most well know Chaucer Poem. It is also complete which the more well-known Canatbury tales is not.

In my Self Education project, it helps to form a rounded understanding of Chaucer. It also serves as a lesson in Middle English before the pronunciation shift.

The story of Troilus and Criseyde

Troilus and Criseyde is a poem in five parts. It happens predominantly in Troy during the truce in the Trojan siege by the Greeks. It starts with the ice-cold Troilus seeing Criseyde across the room at the temple in Troy. He is smitten with her and immediately starts pining over here. She has also seen him and is also smitten. Luckily for them, her uncle who is her guardian realises this. He eventually sets up a meeting for them socially and they fall even further.

Eventually, the uncle sneaks Troilus into Criseyde's room by night. The two become lovers. Not long after this, a prisoner exchange is arranged between the two warring parties. Criseyde's father defected to the Greek side early in the war and now wants her to come to join him. So the swap includes Criseyde which she and Troilus are unhappy about. Troilus wants them to run away together. Criseyde wants to go but says she will return in ten days. In the end, things go Criseyde's way and Troilus escorts her to the Trojan lines.

Ten days come and go and Criseyde does not return. Troilus starts writing her letters but gets no reply. In this time she has fallen in love with one of the Greek warriors. Because of this, she has no intention to return to Troilus. She eventually writes him a letter telling him so, this leaves him distraught. This is where the poem chooses to end. Chaucer ends with an invocation to Christ.

Reflections on Troilus and Criseyde

I found the juxtaposition of Trojan times and events with the Chivalric people a little hard to keep straight at times. This is probably in part because as a modern reader I am dealing with two contrasting time periods being presented at once. This would have not been the case for a reader at the time of writing as they would have been living in one of them. Also as a modern reader, I am used to modern historical fiction that tries to be as true to the context and times as possible.

The betrayal itself is quite interesting. It seems that things between Troilus and Criseyde rather brief. Even though the love affair is rather intense. So it is not surprising that Criseyde falls for another in just ten days. Troilus does not even consider others even after such a short time. I wonder if these more impassioned affairs were more common in Chaucer's time. It could be just a poetic device to make life seem more intense in the story than in reality.

What others have to say about Troilus and Criseyde

"The love affair must remain secret to protect her honour; Troilus and Criseyde cannot marry because he is a prince and she is the daughter of a traitor; and nor can they leave Troy and abandon their city." From The Conversation

"Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer is widely regarded as one of his more influential works, alongside The Canterbury Tales." From English Literature

Comparisons to other texts

Like Anelida and Arcite we have a betrayal story. Troilus and Criseyde seem more of a whirlwind romance. By comparison, Anelida and Arcite seem a lot more stable as a starting place. Unlike Anelida and Arcite this is a complete poem and gives us as much of the story as Chaucer is willing to write.

Chaucer portrays women as fickle and with ever-changing allegiances. By contrast, Aristophanes in Lysistrata has women with all the power by their control over sex. He has them staying true to their plan even though it is difficult. Chaucer depicts his main character woman as weak and persuadable.

Conclusion

Troilus and Criseyde is the five-part poem where Chaucer details their romance. He portrays the woman as fickle and easily swayed while the man of the story stays true. It is quite an intense love affair between the two and just as quick it is over. Chaucer does not give us much information on how Troilus takes the rejection as he ends the poem first.

Have you read Troilus and Criseyde? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read Troilus and Criseyde but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Troilus and Criseyde.

A dream sequence with talking birds; Parlement of Foules, Geoffroy Chaucer

 Why you might read Parlement of Foules?

Parlement of Foules is another of Chaucer's dream sequence poems. It covers the idea that when there are competing men for a woman's courtship it is her that must decide. It gives insight into how those around those courtships saw them.

In my Self Education project, it stands to give a better understanding of Chaucer's times. As well as insight into country courtship at the time.

Story of Parlement of Foules

Parlement of Foules starts with the narrator reading Cicero. This is mostly around Scipio Africanis. He then runs out of light and goes to sleep. Once asleep Africanis guides him to the temple of Venus. Once there he heads outside and finds nature in a clearing. Around her are collected all the birds. It is St. Valentine's day so they are waiting for her to give them a mate. There are three male eagles who argue over who loves this one female the most. The other lesser birds get sick of this and complain. Eventually, Nature chimes in and declares that whoever the female decides will be her mate will be. The males are unhappy but it does end the argument. Then all the other birds pair off and there is an ode to spring. 

Relfections on Parlement of Foules

Dream sequences tend to be a lot harder to follow and this work is no exception. The topic at times moves quickly between ideas. As we get to the parliament itself things slow down and it is easier to follow.

It is interesting that Nature's ruling is for the free will of the female. It is an interesting twist to the idea that nature decides the pairing that we are introduced to. It took me a little by surprise as I had expected Nature to make the decision.

What others have to say about Parlement of Foules

"Chaucer uses this device to gently satirize the tradition of courtly love. He handles the debate with humour and deftly characterizes the various birds." From Britannica

Comparisons with other texts

Like the House of Fame and The Book of Duchess Parlement of Foules is a dream sequence. And like these other two, it makes it a little harder to follow. Like The Book of Duchess, it is about love. But where the Book of Duchess is about the loss of love Parlement of Foules is about the start of love.

It is unlike Anelida and Arcite which is a direct story about Arcites betrayal of Anelida. Though again both center on the theme of love they do so in very different ways.

Conclusion

The Parlement of Foules is another dream sequence from Geoffroy Chaucer. It covers the dreamer traveling to the temple of Venus and then outside. Once out there the dreamer finds Nature holding parliament of St Valentine's day and pairing up all the birds. It looks at the themes of love and parodies the usual country courtships.

Have you read Parlement of Foules? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read Parlement of Foules but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Parlement of Foules.

Arcite is untrue to queen Anelida; Anelida and Arcite, Geoffrey Chaucer

 Why you might read Anelida and Arcite?

Anelida and Arcite is a quick read and a lot easier than previous works of Chaucer. None the less it is still part of the works of Chaucer. It is worth a read especially as it is a little more straight forward. 

In my Self Education project it helps to form a rounded understanding of Chaucer. It also serves as a lesson in Middle English before the pronunciation shift.

Story of Anelida and Arcite

Anelida and Arcite is a poem that ends abruptly and is likely to be incomplete. Anelida is the queen of her town and Arcite is a traveling Knight of Thebes. She falls in love with him and he acts like he loves her too. But he is false and quickly leaves her for other women. She is heart broken but he just laughs at her when she confronts him. The poem then goes on to detail he complaint against him in the form of a strophe and anti strophe. The poem returns to the story for a few lines and then ends.

Reflections on Anelida and Arcite

It is interesting that Chaucer chooses a story from around the time of Thebes as a great city. Yet his characters are more Italian or French that Greek. His knights are from his own period as is his understanding of a queen. She is cast as more helpless than we see the queens be in the Greek plays set at similar times.

The basic deception of Arcite is quite intense. He never loves her and you have to wonder if he only was with her to be with a queen. That being said he doesn't seem to take power over the city as we would expect in Greek times.

What others have to say about Anelida and Arcite

"The simple story tells of the faithlessness of Arcite to Queen Anelida." From Oxford reference

Comparisons with other texts

This is the first work of Chaucer so far that has not included dream sequences. We see these dreams in the House of Fame and The Book of Duchess. This poem therefore feels much more solid and set in reality. Even if it is still a story. 

While it is set at the height of Thebes' power it is a very different story than what we see in the Iliad. This is also in poetic form but it is a very different style. Th Iliad focuses on the men and the daring deeds where as here Chaucer is focused on a woman and her mans lack of virtue.

Conclusion

Anelida and Arcite is a short poem that is most likely incomplete. It covers the courtship of the two and the subsequent unfaithfulness of Arcite. It is the first work we have seen without a dream sequence. It also is very different from the likes of the Iliad. Though they are set in similar time periods. They treat there subject matter very different. 

Have you read Anelida and Arcite? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read Anelida and Arcite but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Anelida and Arcite.

Commentary on Fame; The House of Fame, Geoffroy Chaucer

 Why you might read The House of Fame?

Chaucer is seen as the father of modern literature. While the Canterbury Tales are more famous going back to the start of a career has its advantages. As we move through his works we have the chance to see how he grows as a writer and how his approach changes over time. 

In my Self Education project, this fills the role of getting a rounded view of Chaucer. Rather than just focusing on the Canterbury Tale I like to take Authors as a whole.

The Story of The House of Fame

The House of Fame is written in three parts. The third part is incomplete. It starts with a discussion on the quality of dreams and general theory on how they come about. Then there is an invocation to the god of dreams. Starting with an invocation is repeated in the following two parts, though to different gods.

Part one then goes into a dream. Here the narrator spends time in a temple to Venus Vulcan and Cupid. In that temple, he finds a brass tablet of the Aeneid. He then goes on to recount that story. He then prays for a vision and an eagle appears.

Part two starts with an invocation and then moves on to a dream. Here the eagle takes him up in his claws and flies off with him. He passes out and is revived by the eagle talking to him. The eagle explains how sound breaks the air and thus rises. The eagle then takes him to the House of Fame in the sky. 

Part three, after the invocation, has them arriving at the House of Fame. Here the Narrator meets the goddess of fame. He watches as groups of people approach fame and she gives fame to some and not to others. From there he moves on to an unnamed place where he finds a large crowd telling rumours and truths. The crowd falls silent when a man enters. Here is where the text ends.

Reflections on The House of Fame

The House of Fame is interestingly not about the titular House until the third part. Even then it drifts off into other areas as well. The idea that fame is sought by many but given to few who ask for it speaks through time to how fleeting fame can be. As well as how fickle who gets famous can be.

Religiously it is interesting that Chaucer focuses on the Roman gods. That being said he also references specific saints one many occasions. I found this a little jarring as they do not belong in the same belief system. It shows that there was some religious blending in Chaucer's time.

It is unclear to me why the dream is presented in three parts being that they are all part of the same dream. And that they almost don't finish but blend into the following part.

What others have to say about The House of Fame

"The House of Fame is among the best known and relished of Chaucer's minor poems." From Every poet

Comparisons with other texts

The topic is quite different from the Book of Duchess. Here Chaucer is making social commentary on Fame. By contrast, the Book of Duchess is an exploration of the pain of losing someone. The House of Fame is also a much longer poem. It is approximately twice the length of The Book of Duchess.

It is of a similar age and English as the Medieval Miracle Plays. Unlike the plays, it is not for the common people in the town square. Instead, it is written to be read and thus more aimed at the educated.

Conclusion

The House of Fame is a poem in three parts. It takes until the third part for the House to actually be introduced. I am unsure why it is split into parts as they are all parts of the same dream.  It is longer than our first foray into Chaucer's work. It is written as a commentary on Fame, its fickleness and its randomness.

Have you read The House of Fame? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read The House of Fame but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The House of Fame.

A story of a lost love; The Book of Duchess, Geoffrey Chaucer

 Why might you read The Book of Duchess?

The Book of Duchess is Chaucer's first poem as such it gives us insight into the early works of Chaucer. Chaucer is seen as the father of modern literature. While the Canterbury Tales are more famous going back to the start of a career has its advantages. As we move through his works we have the chance to see how he grows as a writer and how his approach changes over time. 

In my Self Education project, it would be remiss to miss out on Chaucer. Especially with how much his work informs later works.

The story of The Book of Duchess

The Poem starts with the narrator lamenting that he can't sleep. So he reads a book with the story of Ceyx and Alcyone. Where he dies at sea and she after looking for him prays to Juno. Juno then sends Morpheus to go and find him. He brings him back from his death at sea. His wife then gets to bury him.

The narrator then falls asleep. He dreams of a hunt and quickly follows it. Once out in the forest, he finds a black knight. The night is composing poetry to his love. The narrator tries to console him for he is distraught. In doing so he references Troy and other love stories of the greek world where the love is not returned. The knight tells him that these pale in comparison. He goes on to use an analogy of a chess match in which he loses his Queen. The narrator does not grasp that the knight's love is dead. The narrator proceeds to ask where his love is and the Knight answers plainly that she is dead. The narrator laments with him. The narrator then wakes.

Reflections on The Book of Duchess

Middle English is hard work. I found that by the end of reading it I had a grasp of the parts of the story but no idea how they fitted together. A little internet research fixed this but it is the first time I have had to have any kind of reading aid. In saying that this is the first non translated work so maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

That the narrator references other classical sources is quite interesting. It made me glad I have read so much in my BC list so far. He uses both Greek and Biblical references. He does so in passing which means he must assume the reader knows these works.

The two parts of the poem are interesting because while they have a similar theme they do not have a lot else in common. They contrast each other in terms of simplicity. With the retold story being simple and the main story being rather complex.

What others have to say about The Book of Duchess

"composed c. 1370 CE in honor of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster (l. 1342-1368 CE), wife of John of Gaunt (l. 1340-1399 CE), Duke of Lancaster and Chaucer's best friend." From ancient.ed

"But it’s a dream after all, a sequence of allusions, and perhaps the real message lies in a series of hints that Chaucer drops" From eleusinianm

Comparisons with other texts

Like the Medieval Miracle Plays, the English is archaic. By contrast, though the plays use much simpler language. Some of this can be put down to the difference in style, being plays instead of poetry. Also, it can be put down to the audience, the plays are for the common people where as Chaucer is writing for Nobility.

The portrayal of the knight is quite different from what we see of our protagonists in the Volsung Saga. The knight is not heroic or dashing, doing great dead. Instead, he is retiring and feeling a great loss.

Conclusion

The play covers both the story of Ceyx and Alcyone and the lamenting of the black knight for his lost love. The archaic language it is written in is a challenge to read but still rewarding. Chaucer wrote it for a friend who was grieving a dead wife. It is the first of its kind I have read but it still has links to older texts. These links are seen both in the text as well as in the comparisons we have seen to texts that are in someways contemporary at least in my list.

Have you read The Book of Duchess? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read The Book of Duchess but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Book of Duchess.