按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
chivalry； while delighting in martial sports； and hence masculine
and haughty； is also condescending； tender； and gracious。 The
heroic and dignified self…respect with which chivalry invested
woman exalted the passion of love。 Allied with reverence for woman
was loyalty to the prince。 The rough warrior again becomes a
gentleman； and has access to the best society。 Whatever may have
been the degrees of rank； the haughtiest nobleman associated with
the penniless knight； if only he were a gentleman and well born； on
terms of social equality； since chivalry； while it created
distinctions； also levelled those which wealth and power naturally
created among the higher class。 Yet chivalry did not exalt woman
outside of noble ranks。 The plebeian woman neither has the graces
of the high…born lady； nor does she excite that reverence for the
sex which marked her condition in the feudal castle。 〃Tournaments
and courts of love were not framed for village churls； but for
high…born dames and mighty earls。〃
Chaucer in his description of women in ordinary life does not seem
to have a very high regard for them。 They are weak or coarse or
sensual； though attentive to their domestic duties； and generally
virtuous。 An exception is made of Virginia； in the doctor's tale；
who is represented as beautiful and modest； radiant in simplicity；
discreet and true。 But the wife of Bath is disgusting from her
coarse talk and coarser manners。 Her tale is to show what a woman
likes best； which； according to her； is to bear rule over her
husband and household。 The prioress is conventional and weak；
aping courtly manners。 The wife of the host of the Tabard inn is a
vixen and shrew； who calls her husband a milk…sop； and is so
formidable with both her tongue and her hands that he is glad to
make his escape from her whenever he can。 The pretty wife of the
carpenter； gentle and slender； with her white apron and open dress；
is anything but intellectual；a mere sensual beauty。 Most of
these women are innocent of toothbrushes； and give and receive
thrashings； and sing songs without a fastidious taste； and beat
their servants and nag their husbands。 But they are good cooks；
and understand the arts of brewing and baking and roasting and
preserving and pickling； as well as of spinning and knitting and
embroidering。 They are supreme in their households； they keep the
keys and lock up the wine。 They are gossiping； and love to receive
their female visitors。 They do not do much shopping； for shops
were very primitive； with but few things to sell。 Their knowledge
is very limited； and confined to domestic matters。 They are on the
whole modest； but are the victims of friars and pedlers。 They have
more liberty than we should naturally suppose； but have not yet
learned to discriminate between duties and rights。 There are few
disputed questions between them and their husbands； but the duty of
obedience seems to have been recognized。 But if oppressed； they
always are free with their tongues； they give good advice； and do
not spare reproaches in language which in our times we should not
call particularly choice。 They are all fond of dress； and wear gay
colors； without much regard to artistic effect。
In regard to the sports and amusements of the people； we learn much
from Chaucer。 In one sense the England of his day was merry； that
is； the people were noisy and rough in their enjoyments。 There was
frequent ringing of the bells； there were the horn of the huntsman
and the excitements of the chase； there was boisterous mirth in the
village ale…house； there were frequent holidays； and dances around
May…poles covered with ribbons and flowers and flags； there were
wandering minstrels and jesters and jugglers； and cock…fightings
and foot…ball and games at archery； there were wrestling matches
and morris…dancing and bear…baiting。 But the exhilaration of the
people was abnormal； like the merriment of negroes on a Southern
plantation；a sort of rebound from misery and burdens； which found
a vent in noise and practical jokes when the ordinary restraint was
removed。 The uproarious joy was a sort of defiance of the semi…
slavery to which workmen were doomed； for when they could be
impressed by the king's architect and paid whatever he chose to
give them； there could not have been much real contentment； which
is generally placid and calm。 There is one thing in which all
classes delighted in the fourteenth century； and that was a garden；
in which flowers bloomed；things of beauty which were as highly
valued as the useful。 Moreover； there was a zest in rural sports
now seldom seen； especially among the upper classes who could
afford to hunt and fish。 There was no excitement more delightful
to gentlemen and ladies than that of hawking； and it infinitely
surpassed in interest any rural sport whatever in our day； under
any circumstances。 Hawks trained to do the work of fowling…pieces
were therefore greater pets than any dogs that now are the company
of sportsmen。 A lady without a falcon on her wrist； when mounted
on her richly caparisoned steed for a morning's sport； was very
rare indeed。
An instructive feature of the 〃Canterbury Tales〃 is the view which
Chaucer gives us of the food and houses and dresses of the people。
〃In the Nonne's Prestes' Tale we see the cottage and manner of life
of a poor widow。〃 She has three daughters； three pigs； three oxen；
and a sheep。 Her house had only two rooms；an eating…room； which
also served for a kitchen and sitting…room； and a bower or
bedchamber；both without a chimney； with holes pierced to let in
the light。 The table was a board put upon trestles； to be removed
when the meal of black bread and milk； and perchance an egg with
bacon； was over。 The three slept without sheets or blankets on a
rude bed； covered only with their ordinary day…clothes。 Their
kitchen utensils were a brass pot or two for boiling； a few wooden
platters； an iron candlestick； and a knife or two； while the
furniture was composed of two or three chairs and stools； with a
frame in the wall； with shelves； for clothes and utensils。 The
manciple and the cook of the company seem to indicate that living
among the well…to…do classes was a very generous and a very serious
part of life； on which a high estimate was placed； since food in
any variety； though plentiful at times； was not always to be had；
and therefore precarious。 〃Guests at table were paired； and ate；
every pair； out of the same plate or off the same trencher。〃 But
the bill of fare at a franklin's feast would be deemed anything but
poor； even in our times；〃bacon and pea…soup； oysters； fish；
stewed beef； chickens； capons； roast goose； pig； veal； lamb； kid；
pigeon； with custard； apples and pears； cheese and spiced cakes。〃
All these with abundance of wine and ale。
The 〃Canterbury Tales〃 remind us of the vast preponderance of the
country over town and city life。 Chaucer； like Shakspeare； revels
in the simple glories of nature； which he describes like a man
feeling it to be a joy to be near to 〃Mother Earth；〃 with her rich
bounties。 The birds that usher in the day； the flowers which
beautify the lawn； the green hills and vales； with ever…changing
hues like the clouds and the skies； yet fruitful in wheat and
grass； the domestic animals； so mute and patient； the bracing air
of approaching winter； the genial breezes of the spring；of all
these does the poet sing with charming simplicity and grace； yea；
in melodious numbers； for nothing is more marvellous than the music
and rhythm of his lines； although they are not enriched with
learned allusions or much moral wisdom； and do not march in the
stately and majestic measure of Shakspeare or of Milton。
But the most interesting and instructive of the 〃Canterbury Tales〃
are those which relate to the religious life； the morals； the
superstitions； and ecclesiastical abuses of the times。 In these we
see the need of the reformation of which Wyclif was the morning
light。 In these we see the hypocrisies and sensualities of both
monks and friars； relieved somewhat by the virtues of the simple
parish priest or poor parson； in contrast with the wealth and
luxury of the regular clergy； as monks were called； in their
princely monasteries； where the lordly abbot vied with both baron
and bishop in the magnificence of his ordinary life。 We see before
us the Mediaeval clergy in all their privileges； and yet in all
their ignorance and superstition； shielded from the punishment of
crime and the operation of all ordinary laws （a sturdy defiance of
the temporal powers）； the agents and ministers of a foreign power；
armed with the terrors of hell and the grave。 Besides the prioress
and the nuns' priest； we see in living light the habits and
pretensions of the lazy monk； the venal friar and pardoner； and the
noisy summoner for ecclesiastical offences： hunters and gluttons