Historical Background of The Age of Chaucer

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Today we are going to discuss the Historical background of the age of Chaucer that had a great influence over the literature of that era. The period between 1343 and 1450 is known as the age of Chaucer. It marked the first significant age in English Literature. It heralded a new era of learning. Chaucer’s age also witnessed many social, political and religious challenges.
#History of English Literature    • History of English Literature  
#Old & Middle English Period    • Old and Middle English Period  
Age of #Chaucer    • Age of Chaucer  
#Age of Revival    • Age of Revival  
#Elizabethan Era
   • The Elizabethan Era  
#Early American Literature
   • Early American Literature  
The three important events of Chaucer’s age were

1) Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
2) Black Deth
3) Peasant’s revolt

1) Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
It took place between England and France. It happened when King Williams refused to give back the land of England that he won when it was demanded. Many Britishers went to fight this war and this helped in establishing the dignity and identity of England. England won the war by using the Longbow method. This war also strengthened the position of the English language. England fought three major wars during this period and won all of them. These wars were
Battle of Crecy – 1346
Battle of Poitiers – 1356
Battle of Agincourt – 1450

2) Black Death: This was the second important event during the age of Chaucer- It happened from (1347-51). It was the spread of a disease named Plague. It spread through rats. A person used to die in four or five days after getting infected by this disease. Almost 1/3rd of the population of England died due to the plague during the Black Death period.

As a result of deaths of people at such a large scale due to the spread of plague, people lost faith in the healing powers of the Clergy. This incidence of black death also resulted in the development of medical sciences in England. Education also gained importance in English society after the incidence of Black Death.

Peasants Revolt: It took place in 1381. The reasons behind this revolt were the demand for high taxes from the farmers to fund the Hundred Years War and unrest among people due to the Black Death. The leaders of this revolt were Wyatt Taylor and John Ball. Peasants captured the Tower of England where the Aristocrats were living and the Government was forced to lift back the taxes on farmers.

Effects of thse three events
1) The middle class emerged as a strong stratum of English society during this period.
2) People developed strong dislike against the Papal Church Interferences in their lives.

All this represented a transition from a feudal system towards a free society where men and women could exercise their individual whims and fancies without any fear.

There was a transition from Medievalism towards Modernism and Geoffrey Chaucer became the rising sun of the Modernism.

Language Development: The age of Chaucer saw the emergence of standard English Language. English was declared the language of the court in the year 1362 and the language of the Parliament in the year 1363 and it was declared the language of teaching in schools in the year 1386.