Mythological Influences on Chaucer Research Paper

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Chaucer wrote a number of works that were directly influenced or inspired by Greek mythology. These include short poems like “Complaint of Mars” and “Complaint of Venus” as well as longer ones, like “Troilus and Cressida” and “Anelida and Arcite.” Even in his most famous work, The Canterbury Tales, there is a direct link to ancient Greece, with the Knight’s tale telling the story of Theseus, king of Athens in Greek mythology. This paper will discuss how stories of gods, legends, and traditions of ancient Greece greatly influenced English writer and poet Geoffrey Chaucer.

Greek mythology had captured the imaginations of people in the West for centuries. The Romans were so enamored of Greek mythology that they essentially adopted the Greek beliefs as their own, Latinized them (gave them Roman names to replace the Greek ones), and built their own altars and shrines and temples honoring them. Jupiter and Zeus, Mars and Ares, Athena and Minerva—they are the same gods and goddesses, just with different names. As Christianity took over the West falling the fall of pagan Rome, the Christian beliefs took root throughout the West. The old myths died until humanism brought them back during the High Renaissance (Panofsky). Chaucer was inspired by the Italian poet Boccaccio, who was greatly influenced by the humanism of the time and the return of artists to their Western, pre-Christian roots: the old myths of Greece. Chaucer thus used these myths that were very popular at the time that he was writing to inspire and serve as the basis for many of his own poems and stories. He was influenced by them because many artists in the West were being influenced by them at the end of the Renaissance (Storm).

One of the best examples of this Greek influence is in “The Knight’s Tale,” in which the character of the tale of two knights named Palamon and Arcite are friends who fall out with one another over a Grecian woman named Emily. Emily is the is the sister in law of Theseus, duke of Athens, and a predominant character in many ancient Greek dramas and legends. The two knights are enemy combatants of Theseus in his war with Creon; they are caught and imprisoned. They then see Emily from their cells and fall in love with her. Each manages to escape prison and make their intentions known to Emily. Theseus finds them, however, and intends to put them to death.

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At the request of Emily and his own wife, Theseus relents and states that they may have a giant tournament and whoever wins will marry Emily. Emily, Arcite and Palamon all pray to a different divine entity: Emily prays to Diana, Arcite to Mars, and Palamon to Venus. Their choice of whom to pray to is telling and indicates Chaucer’s deep knowledge of Greek mythology. The gods and goddesses are described by their Roman names but the identities are Grecian.

Writing during the Renaissance and as a Christian (and in a work that is set during a pilgrimage to a Christian shrine where Catholics pray for grace), Chaucer was showing his affection for the Greek tradition and for Greek mythology by having the most noble character in the Tales (the Knight) tell a story set in the age of Greek mythology. In other words, Chaucer was connecting the virtue and ethics of his own Christian era to the virtue and ethics of the Grecian era (Weever).

Indeed, Chaucer expresses as much in the Tale when he writes near the end of the story the words of one of the friends, who is dying and now seeks to unite Emily with the other:  

The god of love, ah, bless my soul!

How mighty and how great a lord is he!

Against his power there avail no obstacles.

He may be called a god for his miracles,

For he can make, as he pleases,

Of every heart whatever he wants to devise (Chaucer 1785-1790)

What is seen in these words is the logical exposition of a man who has literally seen the light: he has prayed to one god for victory in the fight, while his friend has prayed to the goddess of love to win the hand of Emily in marriage. Emily has prayed to Diana for guidance—either to go unwed or to be married to the man who truly loves her. Everyone has their prayers answered. Arcite wins the contest but loses the war; Palamon wins Emily. And Emily is married to the man who truly loves her. Chaucer shows his respect for Greek mythology with this tale, using to underscore….....

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