common people, though aristocracy o f his time read and spoke
F re n c h . C h a u c e r
was the true founder o f English literature.
4.
Chaucer was by learning a man o f the Middle Ages, but his
attitude towards mankind was so broad-minded that his work is
timeless. He ;s the earliest English poet who may still be read for
pleasure today.
Literature of the 15th century
Chaucer as a poet is so good that he makes the fifteenth century
appear dull. His death was a great blow to English poetry. Almost
two centuries passed before a poet equal to him was bom But
folk poetry flourished in England and Scotland in the 15,h century.
The most interesting examples o f folk poetry were ballads. Ballads
and songs expressed the sentiments and thoughts o f people. They
were handed down orally from generation to generation. The art
o f printing did not stop the creation o f folk-songs and ballads.
They were still composed at the dawn ofthe 18lh century.
The original authors of ballads are unknown; in fact, a given
ballad may exist in several versions, because many different people
told and revised the ballad as it travelled from village to village.
But when a version seemed just right, its teller would be urged to
recite the story again and again without changing a thing.
Below you’ll read some stanzas that represent the style of
folk ballads.
T he W ife o f U sh e r’s Well
There lived a wife at Usher’s Well,
And a wealthy wife was she;
She had three stout1 and stalwart sons,
And sent them o’er the sea.
They hadna’ been a week from her,
A week but barely ane: .
1 slnul: briivc - 6mii|>
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
