Wyclif, Chaucer, earliest drama, renaissance, tr. by W. C. RobinsonH. Holt, 1892 - English literature |
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action afterwards antiquity appears Appendix Arcite artistic ballad beautiful beginning belonged Bible bishop Boccaccio Boëthius Canterbury Canterbury Tales century character Chaucer church Confessio Amantis connection Corpus Christi Plays court death drama Duke Edward III effect England English poet epic especially expression fable fabliau fate feelings fragment French frequently friars gives Gower hand Henry humor idea influence Italian John of Gaunt king knight Knight's Tale language Latin learned legend Lydgate lyrical master medieval mendicant mind monk moral Mysteries nature Occleve original Oxford Palamon passion period Petrarch Piers Plowman play poem poet poet's poetic poetry Pope popular Prince Prologue prose queen religious rhyme Richard romance satire scene seems Seven Wise Masters sometimes Sompnour sort spirit stanza story strophe style Tale Theseus thou tion tradition translation Troilus verse whole Wife of Bath Woodkirk Wyclif
Popular passages
Page 96 - And, for there is so great diversity In English, and in writing of our tongue, So pray I God, that none miswrite thee, Nor thee mismetre, for default of tongue!
Page 168 - Chaucer's. tor of Physic, who, in spite of his prepossessing exterior, is as good a hand at swindling and extracting money as the Pardoner. But the poet has not taken the time to enlarge very much on the picture of the Physician given in the general Prologue. The fragment begins at once with the Doctor's Tale, for which the story of Virginia, as previously composed, is taken without change. On account of its desperate, bloody ending Chaucer may have thought this piece appropriate to the character...
Page 163 - As proved by his worde's and his werk. He is now dead, and nailed in his chest, I pray to God so give his soule rest, Francis Petrarc, the laureat poet, Highte this clerk, whose retorike sweet Illumin'd all Itaille of poetry.
Page 171 - What man art thou?" quoth he : " Thou lookest as thou wouldest find an hare ; For ever upon the ground I see thee stare. " Approache near, and look up merrily ; Now ware you, sirs, and let this man have place. He in the waist is shapen as well as I ; This were a puppet in an arm to embrace For any woman ; small and fair of face ; He seemeth elvish by his countenance, For unto no wight doth he dalliance. " Say now somewhat, since other folk have said ; Tell us a tale of mirth, and that anon.
Page 150 - A manly man, to been an abbot able. Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable: And, whan he rood, men mighte his brydel here Ginglen in a whistling wind...
Page 158 - Nay, by my father's soul, that he shall not," said the * * *, " here he shall not preach, neither homily nor sermon ; we all believe in the great God, ' said he, "he might sow some difficulty, or spring cockle in our corn. And, therefore, Host, I warn thee beforehand, my jolly body shall tell you a tale, and I shall clink you so merry a bell that I shall waken all this company. But it shall not be of philosophy, nor of physic, nor quaint law terms. There is but little Latin in my maw.
Page 253 - Alas, sweet son, I may not tell thee yet, My heart is now so full of woe. ISAAC: Dear father, I pray you, hide it not from me, But some of your thought, I pray tell me.
Page 295 - Serious subjects also were represented in the Interludes. Well-to-do artisans may have many a time regaled themselves with a Miracle Play at their common festal dinner on the day of the patron of their guild. And since the Mystery had the greatest dramatic interest, it was here readily played as an Interlude — though perhaps generally only in pantomime. During the banquet at the Council of Constance, on January 24, 1417, the English Fathers caused to be performed, by tableaux and gestures, the...
Page 155 - Have ye not seen sometime a pale face (Among a prees) of him that hath been lad Toward his deth, wheras he geteth no grace, And swiche a colour in his face hath had, Men mighten know him that was so bestad, Amonges all the faces in that route; So stant Custance, and loketh hire aboute.
Page 160 - The Frere lough whan he had herd al this : " Now, dame," quod he, " so have I joye and blis, This is a long preambel of a tale.