In the Middle Ages rhetoric played a much more important role than it does nowadays. Replaced by sciences like aesthetics, psychology or stylistics1 in our time rhetoric was of central interest in scholarly life back then. It was not simply reduced to the science of tropes and figures like it is often done nowadays but there was much more to it in the Middle Ages. Based on the rhetorical tradition of the antiquity rhetoric was the art of speech, which already shows that it was a broad subject. It will therefore be of importance to give a general overview of rhetoric in those days and to look at one author in particular to illustrate how rhetoric was used. One of the most important and best known authors of the Middle Ages is Geoffrey Chaucer. That is why he will be considered as a representative of the rhetoricians of his time in this term paper.
The following chapters will deal with rhetoric in the Middle Ages in general and with Chaucer as a rhetorician of that time in particular. This term paper will not only summarise what rhetoric was like in those days but, moreover, it will examine the most important features of Chaucer’s poetical style. Finally a closer look at The Parliament of Fowls, one of Chaucer’s minor poems, will make clear how Chaucer used rhetorical devices and other language ornaments to make his works aesthetic and to get his message across. While reading Chaucer it has to be kept in mind that his poems were not published as books to be read but were presented to an audience. That is why it will be of interest to examine the way the oral character is created in Chaucer’s poems.
Rhetorical devices were originally used to make a text or speech aesthetic and persuasive and nowadays they are often used as the starting point for interpretations of a text because it is assumed that there must be a connection between the style and the meaning of a poem. This term paper, however, is not supposed to contribute to the understanding of Chaucer’s The Parliament of Fowls in the first place or even to provide any interpretations of the poem as a whole but it shall give an insight into Chaucer’s rhetoric and focus on selected examples of this poem. It deals with Chaucer’s poetical style and not with the deeper meaning of his poem. Nevertheless some rhetorical features cannot be explained without looking at certain possible interpretations of them.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Rhetoric in the Middle Ages
3. Geoffrey Chaucer’s rhetorical style
4. Rhetoric in The Parliament of Fowls
5. Conclusion
Books of Reference and Further Reading
Books:
Websites:
Appendix
a) Transcription of Stanza 10 to Stanza 20 of the Gg.4.27 Manuscript
b) Comments on Stanza 10 to Stanza 20 of The Parliament of Fowls
c) Substantial differences in Stanza 10 to Stanza 20 between the edition of The Parliament of Fowls in The Riverside Chaucer and the Gg.4.27 Manuscript
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the role of rhetoric within medieval literature, specifically focusing on how Geoffrey Chaucer integrated rhetorical traditions and oral storytelling techniques into his works. The primary objective is to analyze Chaucer’s poetical style, using "The Parliament of Fowls" as a central case study to illustrate the application of rhetorical devices, commonplaces, and structural elements intended for an audience.
- The historical context and function of rhetoric in the Middle Ages.
- Chaucer's synthesis of literary traditions with oral performance techniques.
- The use of rhetorical figures, commonplaces, and allegories in "The Parliament of Fowls."
- The relationship between hierarchical social order and linguistic style in the poem.
- A comparative analysis of manuscript transcriptions versus modern editions.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Rhetoric in The Parliament of Fowls
This chapter refers to the version of The Parliament of Fowls (PoF) that is included in Larry Benson’s The Riverside Chaucer (p.385 – p.394). The Parliament of Fowls is one of Chaucer’s minor poems and shows typical characteristics as far as rhetoric is concerned. Right from the start Chaucer created a narrator who addresses his audience. This can be proved by expressions like “ […] as I yow tolde […]” (PoF, l.16), which imply that this poem is rather a speech than a text, which should be read. This narrator establishes a connection to the audience because he uses familiar phrases like the aphorism in the first line of the poem “The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne […]” (PoF, l.1), which goes back to the proverb “Ars longa, vita brevis” (Minnis, p.263).
Sentences like this and proverbial expressions like “[…] flete or synke […] “ (PoF, l.7) create sympathy for the narrator and familiarity because they have been used earlier. Furthermore Chaucer had used phrases that became proverbs afterwards like “For out of olde feldes, as men seyth, [c]ometh al this newe corn from yer to yere” (PoF, ll. 22-23). Brewer mentions that The Parliament of Fowls is “ […] a web of commonplaces” (Brewer: 1972, p.48), which is definitely true as a huge variety of topoi can be found within the text. Chaucer included one of his most often used motifs namely the modesty-topos. The narrator makes us aware of his own inability at several occasions, for example in line 16 where he tells us that “ [he] can na moore” which shall create sympathy for the narrator.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the significance of rhetoric in the Middle Ages and sets the stage for analyzing Chaucer’s work, specifically his rhetorical style in "The Parliament of Fowls".
2. Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: Explains the foundational principles of medieval rhetoric, including the seven liberal arts, the five steps of speech preparation, and the use of commonplaces.
3. Geoffrey Chaucer’s rhetorical style: Analyzes the blend of literacy and orality in Chaucer’s work, focusing on his use of narrators, sententious style, and rhetorical repetition.
4. Rhetoric in The Parliament of Fowls: Provides a detailed examination of rhetorical devices, topoi, and stylistic register shifts within the poem as evidence of Chaucer’s mastery.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes how Chaucer adapted classical rhetorical instructions into a literary masterpiece that emphasizes audience engagement.
Books of Reference and Further Reading: Lists the academic sources used to support the research on Chaucerian poetics.
Appendix: Provides primary source transcriptions and analytical commentary on specific stanzas, highlighting manuscript variations.
Keywords
Rhetoric, Middle Ages, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowls, Orality, Literacy, Poetical Style, Commonplaces, Modesty-topos, Rhetorical Devices, Courtly Love, Narrative Structure, Manuscript, Gg.4.27, Allegory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines how rhetoric, which originated as an art of speech, was utilized by Geoffrey Chaucer in his literature, with a specific focus on his poem "The Parliament of Fowls."
What are the key thematic areas addressed?
The themes include the definition of rhetoric in the medieval period, the combination of oral and written styles, and how Chaucer specifically employed various tropes, figures, and commonplaces.
What is the main goal or research question?
The goal is to illustrate how Chaucer functioned as a representative rhetorician of his time by analyzing his poetical style and the use of language ornaments to create an aesthetic experience for his audience.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The research uses a descriptive and analytical approach, drawing on established rhetorical manuals of the Middle Ages, literary theory, and comparative analysis of manuscript versions.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The body covers the theoretical foundations of medieval rhetoric, an analysis of Chaucer’s general stylistic features (such as his use of stereotypes and narrators), and a specific deep dive into the rhetorical composition of "The Parliament of Fowls."
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include rhetoric, Middle Ages, Chaucer, orality, commonplaces, and poetical style.
Why does Chaucer use a narrator to address the audience directly?
This technique serves to maintain the "oral character" of his poems, bridging the gap between the written text and the live performance context typical of the period.
How do the hierarchical positions of birds in the poem influence their speech?
Chaucer employs different stylistic registers (stilus grandiloquus, mediocris, and humilis) to match the social status of the birds, effectively linking linguistic formality to social hierarchy.
What is the significance of the "modesty-topos" in Chaucer’s work?
It is a rhetorical device where the narrator claims incompetence or inability to describe a subject, which serves to create sympathy and a sense of humility before the audience.
- Quote paper
- Antje Bernstein (Author), 2006, Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Parliament of Fowls', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/71331
