Chaucer’s Narrative Art in The General Prologue To The Canterbury Tales

Answer

Evaluate Chaucer’s narrative art in ‘The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales”. [2021, 2019] ✪✪✪

Or, Write an essay on Chaucer’s narrative art with special reference to “The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales’. [2017] 

Narrative art means the skill of telling a story in a lively and interesting way. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340–1400) is one of the greatest storytellers in English literature. He is called “the Father of English Poetry.” His “General Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales shows his powerful narrative art. He does not simply describe events. He makes them alive with colour, humour, and truth. His style is simple, his tone gentle, and his pictures unforgettable.

The Frame Story – A Journey as a Narrative Device: Chaucer begins with a journey to Canterbury. Thirty pilgrims meet at the Tabard Inn in Southwark. They decide to travel together. They tell stories to pass the time. Chaucer himself joins them. This idea of a pilgrimage gives the poet a chance to bring together people of all classes- knight, monk, merchant, wife, and ploughman. It makes the poem like a “mirror of life.” Through this simple frame, Chaucer unites variety, movement, and conversation. It is one of the earliest and most natural narrative structures in English literature.

Realistic and Vivid Character: Chaucer’s narrative power shines most in his portraits of pilgrims. He gives each pilgrim a lively introduction. He shows their clothes, habits, and speech to show who they are. For example, the Knight is noble and humble. He has fought 15 mortal battles. Chaucer says,

“At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene.”

(He had been at fifteen mortal battles.)

The Prioress is polite but worldly. She weeps if she sees a mouse in a trap. Chaucer says,

“She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mouse

Kaught in a trappe.”

(She would weep, if she saw a mouse

Caught in a trap.)

The Wife of Bath is bold and