In the General Prologue, Chaucer is talking both directly to the audience and referencing other literature in his story. He feels no need to drive himself crazy by reading books and constantly working (186). Benedict’s rule that Monks should solely devote themselves to work and prayer. This man differs from other Monks, for he does not care for anything not modern, especially St. Not only does Chaucer reference other literature as a whole in this prologue, but he also references religious literature.Ĭhaucer’s next consciousness of literature appears later in the prologue when he introduces a Monk who could possibly be the next head of his monastery. Here, Chaucer is conscious of a very specific kind of song and introduces a character it relates to.

A Hymn is a song that is usually religious and of praise. This reference exemplifies a form of literary consciousness present by just mentioning the knight’s son’s work.Īnother example of literary consciousness appears a bit later on in the prologue, as Chaucer talks about a nun named Madame Englantine who enjoys to sing hymns (125). By mentioning poetry, Chaucer is referencing a form of literature in his own poem. In other words, he loved to write poetry and songs, draw, dance, and joust. Chaucer describes the son as having the a strong stature, but most importantly he mentions that the son “coude songes make and wel endyte,/Iuste and eek daunce, and wel purtreye and wryte,/So hote he lovede” (55-57). We are soon introduced to the knight’s son, who would one day become a knight himself. In the prologue, Chaucer goes on to explain the story of a knight who devoted his life to chivalry, truth, and justice (43).

It was not common in Medieval literature for people to refer to themselves as writers, and we can see in The General Prologue that Chaucer is aware of his writing as something to be read by others.

By talking directly to the reader and introducing them to his story, Chaucer is showing a consciousness in his writing – a consciousness of himself as a writer. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The General Prologue from The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer first explains that he is going to introduce the characters of his story rather than just jump into the story by saying, “But natheles, whyl I have tyme and space/Er that I ferther in this tale pace” (35).

Chaucer the canterbury tales prologue