CHAPTER 3

Historical Context: The Decline of Feudalism in the Middle Ages

The Early Phase of The Hundred Years’ War
Edward III (1327-1377) started the Hundred Years’ War against France, in order to defend his French
territories and claimed the French vacant throne, as his mother was Isabel the daughter of Philip the Fair.
Other causes of the war were the help that France had always given to Scotland against England and the
necessary to recover the market of Flanders.
The war broke out in 1337 and lasted until 1453.
In 1346 Edward III obtained a considerable victory in the Battle of Crecy. In 1356 Edward’s son, the Black
Prince (Prince Edward), inflicted a heavy defeat on the French in the Battle of Poitiers.
The first stage of the war was concluded in 1360 with the Peace of Bretigny. Edward III gave up his claims
to the French throne, and received part of Southern France and the town of Calais, a wool export centre.
The Black Death
The Black Death started in 1348 and spread all over Europe. It was responsible for the death of a third of
England’s population. The economic and social effects were enormous. Labour was scarce, so prices
doubled, wages (salari) rose and the condition of the peasants who survived improved since they were able
to demand payment for work done on their lord’s land.
The Peasants’ revolt
The period after the Black Death was characterized by the lords’ attempts to recover their lost position.
During the reign of Richard II, (1377-1379) peasants were more and more oppressed and when a new tax
(the Poll Tax) was imposed a revolt broke out. It was the peasants’ revolt.
The rebels marched on London led by Wat
Tyler to demand the abolition of Serfdom (servitù della gleba). Richard II met the rebels and promised to
grant them all their demands. Instead, the King didn’t keep his promise and the revolt was doomed
(arrestata). Though the revolt failed, people didn’t to the old conditions.
In the last years of his reign Richard II governed despotically and he was deposed by Parliament and later
killed. His cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, became the new king of England under the name
of Henry IV (1399-1413).
He was succeeded by Henry V.

Literary Context: The Age of Chaucer (1350-1400)

The social and political events of the time deeply affected literature. The war against France awoke the
English national spirit and caused a wave of disdain against all that came from that country. French ceased
to be the official language and French models were no longer imitated. The decline of Feudalism, the rise of
a new class of merchants, the peasant’s revolt and the lollard heresy (that fought against the abuse and
corruption of the Church), along with the new spirit of independence, gave a stronger vigour to literature,
which after a long period of imitation found its own expression.

POETRY
Religious poetry continued to be produced dealing with Christ’s life.
Secular poetry was made up mostly of love lyrics. Influenced by the French minstrels or “troubadours” they
dealt with Courtly Love, the relationship between a lady and her lover, both belonging to the upper class.
Secular poems were also descriptive and narrative pomes, as well as songs to be sung at banquets. In fact
Medieval poems were usually composed to be listened to at court and not read.
During the 14th century, Middle English was used in the schools and law-courts and spread more and more.
The East Midland, also called the King’s English, spoken in London, at the Court and at the two universities
of Oxford and Cambridge became dominant. During the 15th century Middle English was transformed into
Modern English.
GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1340-1400)
Chaucer was born in 1340 in London. He was the son of a wine merchant. He found employment in the
house of John of Gaunt and he came into contact with the Court as well. He was often sent abroad on
diplomatic missions that allowed him to come in touch with the European culture. He died in 1400 and was
the first poet to be buried in Westminster Abbey in what has to become Poets’Corner.
Chaucer was defined the Father of English Poetry as he was the first who wrote in English in a new and
original way, going beyond the influence of foreign models. He was also the creator of modern versification
and, giving a vivid picture of the society of his age, brought the English literary production on the same
level as other European literatures.
Chaucer’s literary career is usually divided into three stages of development: The French Period, the Italian
Period and the English Period.
The French Period (1359-1372)
He translated the popular allegorical poem Roman de la Rose.
His first important poem was The Book of the Duchess (1369) an allegorical lament on the death of John of
Gaunt’s wife.
The Italian Period (1372-1386)
When Chaucer went to Italy he had the opportunity to come into contact with the Italian literature, in
particular with the works of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. But it was Boccaccio who inspired him to
write his great love poem Troilus and Criseyde. It’s the story of the unhappy Troilus’love for Criseyde,
modelled on the plot of Boccaccio’s Filostrato.
The Legend of Good Women, celebrating nine women famous for their faithfulness in love.
The House of Fame
The Parliament of Fowls, a comic allegory
The English Period (1386-1400)
The Canterbury Tales his masterpiece.
His frequent missions abroad, and journeys, his experience in Parliament gave him the opportunity to meet a
lot of people: lords, merchants, student, commoners, members of clergy.
When he realized that his country was ready for a literature of its own he decided to write a work in English
or middle English that could be understood by anybody.
The first idea was certainly to write a collection of tales as the title suggests: tales were in fashion at that
time. Probably he had a purpose in mind: he wanted to give people a book that should be a true mirror of
England and in which they could really recognize themselves.
He took inspiration from the many people he had met in his life and he borrowed from Boccaccio’
Decameron the idea of a social event as a pretext for bringing various people together: the traditional
pilgrimage to Canterbury.
Plot:
A company of 30 pilgrims, included the narrator of the prologue, on their way to the shrine of St.Thomas
Becket in Canterbury, meet at the Tabard Inn at Southwark in london. The host of the Inn offered himself as
a guide and suggested that each pilgrim should tell two stories going to Canterbury and two coming back.
Chaucer himself was invited to join the company.
The prologue contains the portraits of the pilgrims and their personal features. All social classes are
represented:
• The declining feudal world (a knight)
• The religious world (a Prioress, a Monk, a Nun)
• Townspeople (a wife, a merchant, a cook, a physician, a carpenter)
All pilgrims tell stories about their world and their social class. For example, the knight tells a story on
chivalry love and war.
After the pilgrims have been introduced Chaucer starts with the tales. He wrote only 24 of the 120 expected.
(previste). They are all written in verse and each of them can be enjoyed in itself even if each tale is in
relation to the others to combine into a unity.
Chaucer was influenced by Boccaccio but his prologue is different from the Italian writer one. In Boccaccio
the storytellers are young gentlemen and ladies all belonging to the same social upper class. Chaucer,
instead, choose his pilgrims from the most different classes and he described them precisely.