How to Read and Understand Chaucer

Deciphering Middle English

Read through the chosen text aloud. Reading the lines aloud can help you hear familiar sounds that might not have translated if you were reading silently. Take your time and read slowly—it’s okay if there are parts you don’t understand; you’ll work on deciphering the language and context as you go. Remember that Chaucer’s writings were often humorous and even sometimes pretty crass. Once you get the hang of the language, you’ll enjoy the process much more!

Familiarize yourself with common Chaucerian vocabulary. You don’t need to memorize an entire vocabulary list, but it’ll be helpful if you slowly read through a list of words and definitions. Many words look very similar to their modern counterparts, but some are a bit different. For example: “Certeyn” in Middle English is “certain” or “sure” in Modern English. “Verray” in Middle English is “true” in Modern English. “Axe” is “ask.” “Atones” translates to “at once” or “immediately.”

Expect to see the letter “y” in place of “i” in a lot of words. This particular difference is relatively easy to get used to. The “y” is pronounced the same as “i” in Middle English (“ee”). You’ll often see words like: Knyght = knight Flyght - flight Lym = limb Devyse = device Hye = high

Use context clues to figure out what unfamiliar words mean. A lot of words in Middle English kind of look like ones in Modern English, but sometimes they’re completely different and unrecognizable. See if you can get the gist of the sentence or fragment from other words used, and then fill in the blank for the unknown word. For example, in the prologue to The Canterbury Tales there is a line that reads “The hooly blisful martir for to seke,” in which the word “blisful” is easily understood as modern-day “blissful,” and “martir” as “martyr.” Looking at “hooly” and taking into context the rest of the line about martyrs and bliss, you can assume that “hooly” means “holy,” a word commonly used to describe martyrs.

Listen to videos of Middle English online to get an ear for the language. There are videos on YouTube of experts reading Chaucer. You can also find sites that will read text aloud line-by-line so that you can hear it while you read it. Listening to readings will help you hear how words were pronounced. You’ll also start to get the rhythm of the language.

Learn how vowels sound in Middle English if you have to read out loud. Most consonants are the same in Middle English as they are in Modern English, but the vowels can sound quite different. It may feel daunting to figure out the pronunciation, but once you’ve done it for 1-2 pages of text, you’ll get the hang of it! While there are occasional exceptions to the rules, here is a breakdown of what vowels most often sound like in Middle English: a and aa = “ah” as in “father” e and ee = “a” as in “mate” i = “ee” as in “meet” o and oo = “oh” as in “oak” or sometimes “ou” as in “bought” u and ou = “oo” as in “boot"

Pronounce the ending “e” to get the full rhythm of Chaucer’s writing. You’ll notice that many words in Middle English end in “e.” While in Modern English, that “e” is often silent, it was custom to say it aloud in Middle English. The exception to the rule is when a vowel follows the final “e.” For example, in “a tale or two,” the ending “e” in “tale” would not be pronounced because the next letter is a vowel. Similarly, endings like -ed, -en, and -es are usually pronounced as their own syllables.

Reading for Comprehension

Use an annotated copy of the text to help break down what you’re reading. An annotated copy includes a glossary and notes about the language, literary devices, and historical context. While you’ll be able to figure out a lot on your own from reading and context clues, these notes can really help you understand the meaning of the text. You can even access annotated versions of Chaucer’s writings online for free. Some texts will even compare line-by-line versions of Chaucer’s writings in Middle English and Modern English.

Understand the historical context by reading a short biography of Chaucer. Chances are, your copy of his writings includes a biography, though you can easily find one online if you need one. Knowing just a little about his life will help ground you in the time and history that informed his texts. For example, Chaucer spent time as a squire and butler in the court of Elizabeth in the 1300s. His experiences in court influenced his writing greatly. Chaucer was one of the first writers to primarily use the English language instead of Latin, and his writing was highly influenced by the French language.

Keep track of the characters and their actions as you read. Knowing who does what in any story is essential to understanding the plot. As you read, keep a list of the main characters you come across. Take notes on what those characters are doing, how they relate to others, and what their role in the story seems to be. For example, in the General Prologue in The Canterbury Tales, you’re introduced to The Knight. He has 4 qualities that the narrator mentions: “chivalrie,” “trouthe,” “honour,” and “fredom,” which can be translated to expertise, loyalty, character, and generosity. In The Canterbury Tales, the plot is a competition between pilgrims. Each pilgrim tries to outdo the others with their stories and tales. For example, in The Reeve’s Prologue and Tale, The Reeve tells a story about a lying miller to get back at The Miller for telling a story that mocked a carpenter, which is The Reeve’s profession. Noting how the characters interact with each other and with the tales is a great way to learn more about their personalities.

Pay attention to symbols within the text for a deeper understanding. While you could read the story and get the gist of the plot, noticing symbolism within the text will help you understand and interpret what you’re reading on a deeper level. Symbols are things like images, locations, and colors that represent bigger ideas. In The Canterbury Tales, springtime, clothing, appearance, and blood are common symbols. The Wife of Bath wears red clothing, which is a symbol of her sensual nature. The Knight wears armor that is dirty and stained, which is a symbol of how he truly is a knight and not just someone who talks about doing good things. The Monk wears fancy clothes, showing that he isn’t as pious as he says he is. The pilgrimage begins in the spring when things are just beginning to bloom, symbolizing romance and eroticism, which are big themes in The Canterbury Tales.

Take note about the recurring themes you notice as you read. Once you know the general plot of the story and who the main characters are, you can start asking yourself what it is that Chaucer is trying to communicate through his story. Of course, he partially wrote for his audience’s entertainment, but on a larger scale, he was writing about the time in which he lived. Consider some of the following themes as you read: Courtly love versus sexual desire in The Canterbury Tales. Especially as you read The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale, The Reeve’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, and The Tale of Sir Thopas, pay attention to how Chaucer writes about sexuality and romance. The corruption of the church. Chaucer uses his characters to highlight how the Catholic church was corrupt and hypocritical. In The General Prologue and The Pardoner’s Tale, pay attention to the religious characters, like the Monk, the Friar, and the Pardoner. Competition between the pilgrims and their tales. The entire plot of The Canterbury Tales is based on competition, but within the travels and tales of each pilgrim, there are even more mentions of competition. The Knight, for example, tells about his battles and those between Mars and Venus, the god of war and the goddess of love. Other common themes to look for are friendship, social class, and storytelling.

Write a summary of each section to keep track of what you’re learning. At the end of each section, jot down 2-3 lines about what you just read. Make note of the characters, themes, symbols, and other literary devices you noticed. It may be helpful to answer these following questions: Who were the main characters? What happened? Where did it take place? When did it happen? Why did it happen? How did Chaucer use his writing to communicate these things?