Question

How does Arnold view Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetry?

• A. It is marked by intellectual depth and moral seriousness.
• B. It is genial and skillful but lacks high seriousness.
• C. It is overly sentimental and superficial.
• D. It is the perfect example of a "touchstone" poet.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. It is genial and skillful but lacks high seriousness.

Geoffrey Chaucer:

• Arnold praises Chaucer’s geniality and narrative skill but finds his work lacking in moral seriousness.

• Chaucer who was much influenced by French and Italian poetry.

• Arnold says that Chaucer‟s poetic importance is a result of the real estimate and not the historic estimate.

• The superiority of Chaucer‟s verse lies both in his subject matter and his style.

• He writes about human life and nature as he sees it.

• Arnold speaks highly of Chaucer‟s diction and calls it „liquid diction‟ to emphasise the fluidity in the manner of Chaucer‟s writing which he considers to be an irresistible virtue.

• Arnold however says that Chaucer is not a classic.

• He compares Chaucer to Dante and points out that Chaucer lacks the high seriousness of the classics thereby depriving him of the high honour