The Age of Chaucer...14th century
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| The Age of Chaucer (1340-1400) |
The political and social background
The age of Chaucer was an age of Transition. Here the word transition means change and transformation. It was an age of transformation from middle age to modern age. It was the meeting ground of two ages- The medieval and the Modern Age. Chaucer has presented the sprite of both the ages in his poetry. It was the time when medieval age had passed away and the new age of modern world had started.
The Hundred Years War (1338)
The Hundred Years War is an important incident in the age of Chaucer. It was the age of conflicts between France and England. It is known as The Hundred Years' War. During the reign of Edward-3, England got victories in the battlefields of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt.
The Black Death (1348)
The outbreak of the Plague is known as 'The Black Death'. It occurred in 1348 during the reign of Edward-3 in England. Half of the total population had died during the black death. The condition of the poor and ordinary people was very bad at that time.
The Peasants' Revolt (1381)
It was the time when there was social strife between the landlords and the peasants. It has resulted in the bloody Peasants' Revolt in 1381. After the black death, there was an acute shortage of labourers. Therefore the labourers were demanding for higher wages but the landlords did not want to accept it. They wanted to suppress the voice of peasants with the help of legislation. As a result, the peasants' revolt started against landlords.
The condition of women
The condition of women was not very good during the age of Chaucer. They were considered inferior to men. The women from poor families had to work hard and women from rich families enjoyed their life only by marriage. Child marriage was also in vogue at that time.
The condition of Church
The condition of the church was also not very good. It had become the place of corruption. Materialism also had spread in the church. The religious persons of the church had become materialistic. They spent their time in trivial activities instead of religious activities. Chaucer has described the bad condition of the church in his 'Prologue' impressively. He has presented the virtues and vices of religious persons in his 'Prologue'.
Thus the 14th century is also known as the age of Chaucer. Chaucer has shown all the tendencies of the age in his poetry very well. As we all know that literature is the mirror of society. Chaucer also has represented the age in his works faithfully.
