CHAPTER III. Characteristics of Chaucer's Poetry-His estimate of Woman, and fondness for birds, flowers and rural scenery-Control over language-Omission to celebrate the great personages of his age and nation. AN examination into the characteristics of Chaucer's Poetical Compositions will not be inappropriate to the plan of this work; nor will the inquiry prove uninteresting, since his most beautiful creations are as much fruits of a necessity of his nature, as the full-grown oak is of the planted acorn; and their exhibition is but a more thorough introduction to the man, and will lead to a more perfect acquaintance with his character and feelings. And first, we notice, that he excelled all who passed before or who have followed after him-save only Shakspeare-in his chivalrous estimate of, and ability to portray, feminine loveliness, delicacy and modesty; and in his unbounded trust in woman's virtue and truth. Dante's Beatrice and the Laura of Petrarch are beauteous visions, but yet are not invested with the same fleshand-blood attributes and affections, which distinguish Chaucer's and Shakspeare's portraitures. And Portia, Rosalind and Imogen-the most perfect of Shakspeare's women-do not exalt our love for woman, do not challenge for her implicit faith, unwavering trust and ardent affection, any more powerfully than Chaucer's numberless paintings. Without pausing to comment upon his truthful delineation of womanly virtue in the character of Dorigene; or his more impassioned description of Griselda's conju gal affection and faith; where shall we find a picture so dignified, and yet so subdued and piteous as that of Custance when she is led "with a dedly pale face" to what seemed a lingering and horrible death : "Hire little child lay weeping in hire arm, Pees, little son, I wol do thee no harm! With that, her coverchief off hire head she braid' And in hire arm she lulleth it full fast, And into the heaven hire eyen up she cast." And again; what can be more simple and delicate than the description of Griselda as she sat spinning on the field while she tended her sheep, or as she plucked "worts and other herbes" on her homeward way at even; or what can be conceived more submissively filial than the picture of this "tendre mayden" as "In great reverence and charitee Hire olde poure fader fostered she, And ay she kept her fader's life on loft That child may don to fadre's reverence?" Or, where are descriptions of womanly beauty more luxuriant and blooming; as fresh, healthful and buoyant, and yet so simple and pure; so unangelic, so perfectly human, and worthy of the affection as well as homage of a manly heart, as our glimpses of the golden-haired Emilie in the garden, who "fairer was to seen Than is the lily on his stalke greene ?" or of that Roman's daughter who was "faire in excellent beautee Aboven any wight that man may see?" 1 Tore. "Always. It is worthy of remark that Chaucer's descriptions of woman never invest her with any Juno-like attributes; but she is ever as mild, patient and submissive, as she is beauteous; and is always accompanied and adorned by the fireside virtues. This is particularly noteworthy, because the sentiment was far in advance of the age, which delighted to worship woman sparkling with imperious beauty, and elated by the triumph of her conquests; or gracing the tournament with her presence, and even partaking with man the fierce enthusiasm of battle. Such was not Chaucer's woman. Nor was she the houris of a Mahomme dan's paradise, much less the ideal abstraction of Spenser's beautiful allegories. She was the sharer of man's joys, the minister to his comfort, the partner of his griefs, "A creature not too bright or good For human nature's daily food For transient sorrows, simple wiles, Praise, love, blaine, kisses, tears and smiles." Although, throughout Chaucer's writings, it is plainly observable that he placed a high estimate upon woman's nature in the points of virtue and purity; yet in his Miller's and Wife of Bath's tales, and in some other compositions, he describes with apparent zest, women who are far from virtuous, who are indeed libidinous and adulterous. Without being able or willing entirely to defend his election of a plan, which necessarily drew these characters into the action of his plots, it still should be remembered that he pictured the age in which he lived—perhaps all too truly in the particulars of its lewdness and licentiousness; and that when he entered into the person of each fancied narrator, he possessed the wizard power of assuming for the time his character, even to the most trivial peculiarity. We have no right to assume that there 1 Wordsworth. fore he himself was lewd and licentious, or that he was an unbeliever in woman's faith and chastity. On the contrary, these comparisons serve at once to engender disgust for the depravity which they describe, and by their powerful contrast with the purer examples of Custance, Griselda and Lucrece, to heighten our admiration for their virtuous beauty. Nor should we forget -to use the language of the young gentleman before quotedthat though "the uncleanness of Chaucer's age has left a smooch here and there upon his poems, yet it is only in the margin, and may be torn off without injury to the text." The same faculty that observed and prized in woman the beauteous virtues of modesty and simplicity, keenly perceived her foibles and affectations; those petty vices, which appearing in individuals, diminish the lustre of the class to which they belong. How perfect and yet how gentle, is Chaucer's ridicule of that artificiality of her nature, which caused the "tender-hearted Prioresse" to dignify trivialties and formalities into a high importance, at the expense of real perfections and accomplishments; and which led her to lavish upon insignificant objects, affections that are based upon deep and abiding principles of humanity. This was a ready mean for lowering and degrading those holy sympathies of our nature which can only be shared with our fellow-mortals, and the desecration of them cannot be atoned for by the most exquisite kindness to the lower creation. This Chaucer saw, and he limned the vice so truthfully that we of this remote generation and New World are profited and instructed thereby. Our language in reference to this good lady's failings sounds harsh beside the poet's gentle correction; but it was not in the nature of the creator of Custance and Griselda to deal otherwise than most tenderly with woman. Indeed, his sharpest corrections of the sex fall upon it like the pattering May-shower upon a rose, serving to cleanse and purify it from the dross and 'Lowell's Conversations. 34 dirt which disfigure it, and leaving it more fragrant than before. His description of the good Prioresse and her foibles serves to contrast with the nobler characters we have just considered, and points out their virtues no less strongly than the coarser pictures of the "gap-toothed Wife of Bath" or the unfaithful Alison. "At mete was she well ytaught withall; She lette no morsel from her lippes falle, In curtsie was sett full much hire lest.1 That in hire cuppe was no farthing seene Of grese, when she dronken had her draught. She wolde wepe if that she saw a mouse Entirely congenial with Chaucer's admiration and love of woman, was his passionate fondness for birds, and flowers, and rural life. Although he has described with terrific ability, scenes which awaken the fiercer passions of the human heart, causing it like his own war-horse "to stert like the fire;" yet his imagination -taking its hue perhaps from his affections--dwelt fondly upon scenes of rural enjoyment and innocence; and we gladly linger 1 Pleasure. 2 Fine. |