British Literature

The Age of Chaucer: 1342 - 1450

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Context https://brumafriend.medium.com/what-was-life-like-in-14th-century-england-
ec08a1316973

Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales (approximately 1387 -1400) during a time of great societal
change in England as well as the rest of western Europe. This was a time of extreme religious
devotion. One of the most significant ways to express one's faith was to undertake a
pilgrimage. Going on a pilgrimage was no small achievement. The roads could be dangerous
and the journey difficult. That is why many pilgrims banded together for mutual safety, just as
the group in Chaucer's story does.
The fourteenth century was a time of upheaval. For one thing, the bubonic plague devastated
Europe and arrived in England in 1347. It is thought that as much as half the English
population succumbed to this disease. This brought trade and commerce to a virtual halt. One
other thing it did was weaken the nobility and the institution of feudalism. With fewer
peasants alive to work the fields, the survivors were able to band together to demand more
rights. Many left the manors and went to towns, becoming craftsmen, merchants, and
artisans. This created a whole new economic class - the middle class or merchant class. These
craftsmen formed guilds that became powerful and influential in and of themselves. Social
mobility and wealth were now attainable by many. We can see this mix of professions among
the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.
Feudalism was also weakening as a result of the Hundred Years War. This war shifted power
away from the nobility and into the hands of monarchs and commoners. During the war, kings in
England and France began directly taxing the populace in order to raise and support their
armies. This cut the nobility out of the loop, thereby eroding much of their power. It also led
to a rise in nationalist sentiments. These feelings of national unity led to commoners siding
with each other despite being parts of different fiefdoms. We can see in Chaucer's work how a
diverse crowd of pilgrims could unite under a shared national identity.

What problems did the people of this time What social, economic, and political changes,
period face? good and bad, occurred as a result?