The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-29

portance is II to determine his place in
the history Of literature. Did he invent
| the a, b, Of It? Did he teach the peo-
pie in naonosyllables,- or did he inherit
from his poetic predecessors the primi-
tives, and was his work the formation
OF lengthy musical derivations? This
must be considered in fixing a poets
rank Thus II would be unjust 10 COM
pare Chaucer and Tennyson, for instance
Chauoer. faulty in rhyme, faulty in me-
tire, pioneer with an uniformed Ian
guage, and Tennyson. on The other hand,
the heir Of all the ages finished. per-
feet, flowing on in smoothest measures.
As well compare the majestic river with
the bubbling springs and chattering
streams that combine TO form it. The
mature man is more perfect in express
sion. but the child is often more original
and pleasing.
"Chaucer represents the childhood OF
English literature His work was mono
syllable. And yet there is in him a curl
Gus blending of the natural and fantas-
tic. French influence is manifest and OF
his own court life He was not Druid
singer, by any means. He was convers-
ant with VIVA. constituted the polite liz,
erature OF his day. He understood how
20 use classic establishment. The arti-
ficiality Of the higher social customs Of
lis day affected his writings. He wrote
often 10 please a capric:ous court. So
he paints a charming picture of nature,
and then 10 recommend 20 the then read
ing public. he trims il, as it were, in
gorgeous embroidery.
"And yet, amid the pomp and pageant
~ Of court scenes, how his love Of ma
ture, the real poe; in MIN. starts up like
childhood memories fresh and free among
the dignified cares of manhood. Some
one has truly said that love of nature
indicates Al least a partially advanced
state Of civilization. Primitive Was too
close to nature, SO much a part OF her
that while ne deified nature he did not
| love her. The Greeks themselves did
| not contemplate nature With affectiona;e
interest. But Cnaucer loved nature Hear
his morning carol:
There sat down among the fair flowers,
And saw the birds trip out of their bowers
There as they had rested them all night,
They were joyful of the days light,
They began of the May TO done honors.
They could that service all by vote,
There was many lovely note,
Some sang loud as they had planned.
And some in other manner voice famed
And some all out with the full throat.
And the river that I sat upon,
1t made such noise as It ran,
Accordant with the birds armory
Methought 1t was the best melody
That might been heard of any man."
He Is Enghnds' first poet of nature,
He sings in very ecstacy of bright sun,
| green grass, dancing leaves, ripping
streams. singing birds. To him earth
| and sky are bathed in beauty, and every
thing like a May morning
1T would be impossible in a paper like
this, even il The ability were here, to go
into a critical analysis of Chaucer's
| works, so we can only touch points
bearing on the subject in hand.
Among his first works is mis- transla-
ton Of the popular French poem. The
Romance ofefhe Rose This was an i'm
portant triumph in English literature as
it demonstrated that the language could
! be made rich enough in voca bulary 20
express the various shades of fine
thought and feeling for which the
| French was considered so much superior
| Chaucer's works are legion. He trans
lated and borrowed and invented. He
culled from the works of history and i'm
agination Of the Orient, OF Italy and of
France. from the fiery heroics of the
north and the sensuous lyrics of the
SOUTH and the result Is charming
"But the poem on which his chief fame
rests as one Of the greatest poets Of the
| English language, of dramatic genius,
| the greatest OF his age. and which places
| him, in ability, with Shakespeare as one
Of the two master dramatists of English
| literature-this work is his Canterbury
Tales.
"How frresisdbfy simple and childlike
and effective'are his descriptions of the
pilgrims on their holy errand TO worship
at the tombFof the Saint Thomas a
Beckett. From this prologue consisting
Of few hundred lines. better idea can
| be gained of English life Of that day. it
| is said, than from all other sources COM
| bined. 1t is a social drama. We know
| these men and women, their style Of
/ dress, habit OF life; We can catch the
spirit Of the day. Herein lies the distinc-
ton between the poet and the historian.
| The poet illumines the pages OF the past
with the details which make the real
picture OF life. while the historian too
| often only numbers the pages.
why Chaucers' Canterbury Tales
are universally conceded 10 be master
1
| ured by modern literary standards, they
are found wanting Some of them are
| coarse; they are verbose; they are ram
| bling; but witbal, they are natural. They
| breathe OF the spontaneity Of childhood.
| The chief charm lies in their artlessness.
| Evidently Chaucer did not block out the
| temperaments and careers OF each char
| acter as in a psychologist checker board
] for the benefit Of modern ANALYSTS. He
does not make them exponents OF his own
nor the ages hobbies. nor are they char
| mixture OF human nature, some a lizzie
more saint. others a little more sinner,
| representing the virtues and vices, the
! strength and weakness OF any age from
the time OF Adam and Eve 20 the pres
| emf. With a little change in outward
garb. a little change in pursuits: with a
little suppression OF thoughts now often
or haroored than expressed, mis- men and
| women might belong 20 our day. But
this is true OF any MASTERPIECES. Instead
OF belonging wholly 70 any special age.
| WIKI the forced characteristics o, some
! partial ho;house OF civilization. 1, is as a
clear mirror rejecting human nature %
| al ages.