Chaucer’s Humour
Definition
of Humour
Humour means that quality of
action, speech, and writing which creates amusement. The true form of humour is that which makes
one laugh only for the sake of pleasure and enjoyment. It does not hurt one’s
feelings nor it pinches or agonizes.
Chaucer’s
characteristics as a great Humorist
Chaucer is a great humorist because
he loves mankind in spite of its or follies and weaknesses. Even while he
gently unmasks the roguery of the knaves, he fees grateful to them as they give
him pleasure. There is no malice, spite or animosity in his attitude. His
attitude is that of benevolence and tolerance. Even his satire is in the form
of tender shafts of irony, which neither hurt nor destroys.
Chaucer may be regarded as the
first great English humorist because no English literary work before his,
reveals humour in the modern sense. His humour does not simply raise a simile
but also relieve us from seriousness and gloom. He is a great master of humour
and all his writing abound with its rich variety. Masefield Calls him:
“a great Renaissance gentleman
mocking the Middle Ages”
Chaucer possess all the
characteristics of a great humorist. Firstly, he has catholicity and tolerance
of spirit which save it from slipping into satire. Secondly, Chaucer has the
faculty of humour which is fed by keen and penetrating observation Finally,
Chaucer has a healthy interest in this world an in life.
Chaucer’s
humour essentially English in Character
Chaucer’s is an essentially English
humour, as we see is qualities in the works of great English humorists like
Shakespeare and Fielding. It is not the “wit” of the Frenchman. His humour is
chiefly concerned with the people and happenings of everyday life as we see in
“The Canterbury Tales”. Some of the facts are quite trivial in themselves but
become amusing because of the way in which they are told e.g. the Squir’s locks
which as if they were laid in press:
“ With lokkes cruller, as they were
leyed in presse”
Similarly, the hat of the Wife of the
Bath weighing 10 lbs.
“Hir coverchief ful fine weren ground
I dorste swere they weyeden ten
pounds”
The Reeve’s thin legs, the Franklin’s
weakness for sharp sauce etc. In these and other instances, we see the comic
quality of amused observation.
Chaucer’s
humour: Sympathetic and Objective
Chaucer’s humour is without any
sting, he is always sympathetic, except in his handling the Monk and the Friar.
He makes us appreciate a character even when laughing at it. His humour is not
of satirical kind. As compared to the Langland, who attacks the Church with
keen and telling thrust, Chaucer exposes the corruption of the Church with good
humoured laugh. Moreover, Chaucer makes fu more of the individual than of the
institution. The genial sympathy saves the Chaucer not only from bitterness,
but also from bias. Satire is born of indignation.
Eangland’s picture of evil does not
reflect the real state of affairs, while on the other hand, it is faithfully
mirrored in Chaucer. Therefore, he is an objective humourist, a better realist
than an indignant satirist.
Chaucer’s
humour for man and humanity
Chaucer is essentially the poet of
man and is intensely interested in his affairs. Chaucer humour leads him to be
the poet of man and humanity. He ha large humanity and good-humoured tolerance for man. He has no disdain for
fools and no disgust for rascals. While gently unmasking the roguery of rogues,
he is grateful to them for the pleasure they give. He loves to dwell on their
funny traits, looks at their pranks and tricks with amused delight –all these
make him a great humourist.
Chaucer’s
many sided humour
Chaucer’s humour is many sided.
Humour can be used in a broad as well as limited sense. In the narrow sense, it
means a gentle mirth. In the broader sense, it stands for boisterous humour,
intellectual humour (wit) and bitter humour (satire). Chaucer works reflect all
these different types of humour. E.Alber has beautiful expresses the many-sided
humour of Chaucer: “In the literature of his time, when so few poets seem to
have any perception of the fun in life, the humour of Chaucer is invigorating
and delightful” For example, his humour is kind as in the case of the Clerk of
Oxford, broad and semi-farcical as in the Wife of the Bath, pointedly satirical
as in the Pardoner and the Summoner.
Chaucer’s
humour is spontaneous ( natural )
Chaucer’s humour is natural and spontaneous.
If is because of his peculiar way of looking at things, as the bent of his mind
is essentially humorous. His humour is not the result of deliberate, calculated
effort, but it is spontaneous expression of his inner self. Therefore, it has
unmistakable marks of ease, spontaneity, naturalness and effortlessness. In the
words of Walter Raleigh “his joy is
chronic and irrepressible”. The Canterbury Tales radiates with the natural joy
that Chaucer felt in writing it.
Impartiality
and Tolerance in Chaucer’s humour
In the whole company of the
prologue to the canter bury tales there are those that are good and those
others that are bad, the later more in number than former. But Chaucer’s
attitude to them is neither that of unruffled and quiet objectivity nor of
partnership. Guided by his sense of humour, Chaucer observes everything and
records each detail with smiling eyes, slightly emphasizing one aspect here or
another there, in order to evoke in the reader that psychological state which makes
him laugh without any malice. To quote Legouis : “He is entirely patient with,
ney he accepts with a smile the imperfection of humanity”.
Tolerance, indulgence and capacity
for enjoying life are the mainsprings of Chaucer’s humour. The result is that
the portraits he draws become true to life, interesting and enjoyable as life
always is, to those whose hearts have not been dried up by the apparently dull
and boring routine of life.
Humour for the sake of humour;
humour is the medium of Chaucer artistic expressions. Chaucer is never a
serious satirist. His aim is primarily to entertain his readers. His aim is
never to be a moralist or a preacher. He observes his age sympathetically and
humorously. Chaucer does not specifically and directly criticize any
institution of his age. He is a poet who explores the theme of the individual’s
relation to society.
Conclusion
Chaucer’s humour is the outcome of
a generous sympathy and broad-mindedness. These excellences are imitated by the
greatest English humorist like Shakespeare and Fielding. Critics may be divided
in opinion as to Chaucer’s right to be called the father of English poetry, but
there can be no question that he is first great English humorist.
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