Balti state university a. Russo chair of english philology

Middle English Literature 
14
th
 century 
 
Plan 
1. 
Political, economic and cultural life of English society in the 14
th
century. 
2. 
The writers of the age: W. Langland , “Pears the Ploughman” 
3. 
J. Wycliffe - literary activity. 
4. 
Geoffrey Chaucer – the father of English poetry. Three periods in G. 
Chaucer‟s creation. 
5. 
The Summit of G. Chaucer‟s work – “Canterbury Tales” (1386), composition
and structure. The story “The Wife of Bath”, “The Pardoner‟s Tale”. 
6. 
Conclusions 
7. 
Practical assignments 
Bibliography: 
1. 
Dorobăţ, S. Pârvu, English Literature Iaşi 1993 
2. 
Burgess, Anthonz, English Literature, London 1983 
3. 
Leviţchi, Leon, Literatura Engleză de la începuturi pînă la 1648 , Iasi 1973 
4. 
M. Hecker, T. Volosova, English Literature/ M. 1978 
5. 
G. Chaucer , Canterbury Tales / Norton Anthology of English Literature 
Volume one/ fifth edition/ Norton and Company, New York London 
6. 
William Langland, Piers Ploughman A new translation by A.V.C. Schmidt
Oxford University Press 1992 
7. The Norton Anthology of English Literature; fifth Edition. The Major Authors; New York, London,
1989 
 
 
 
 

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17 
17 
Political, economic and cultural life of England in the 14
th
 century. 
In the 14
th
century the process of centralisation was carried to a state of perfection. As the 
Norman masters applied the same methods of government and exploitation to all parts of 
England, they forced the Northumbrians and the West Saxons to unite and fight for a common 
cause. The Norman kings made London their residence. The bourgeoisie became rich as a result 
of the trade with Flanders while the common people were losing their homes and becoming 
poppers being deprived of lands which were used as pastures for the sheep. The English shipped 
wool to Flanders where it was sold as raw material. The Flemish ports became the world market 
for northern Europe. France became a commercial rival of England. Flemish weavers were 
invited to England to teach the English their art. But the feudalism unfortunately remained a 
serious obstacle in the development of the country. 
All these events were taking place at the beginning of the 14
th
century when King of 
England was Edward III. This powerful feudal lord wished to make himself King of France. He 
claimed this right because some French provinces, such as Normandy, had once belonged to 
England, while others were the possession of his mother, a French princess. While Edward 
determined to get his lands back the French feudal lords were plodding another thing, i.e. to 
seize the free towns of Flanders and in such a way to deprive England of its wool market. A 
collision was becoming inevitable. Edward felt that it was just the time to unleash a war with 
France putting his family interests above the national ones. Wishing to make his people believe 
that he defended English trade, the King started a war with France in 1337, promising his nation 
that it would be fairly a short war. In fact England was involved in a 100 Years War. It is 
known as well as the War of Roses. The common people now suffered not only the yoke of 
French feudal lords but the war which carried away many lives. Poverty and exhaustion of the 
people brought to the epidemic of “pestilence”. All these events had a strong impact on 
literature. The writers of the age were William Langland, John Wicliffe and Geoffrey Chaucer.