Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London about the year 1342. His father John Chaucer was a prosperous wine merchant. Chaucer, the first English poet, Character painter, and realist was the true representative of the middle ages. The love of reading and other intellectual interests must have been acquired by the poet while he was at school. Around 1366 Chaucer married Philippi de Roet All that we know is that he had two sons who later became members of the aristocratic class. Virgil and Homer were his sources of inspiration.
The period of Chaucer was unrest due to foreign and political wars. His literary career starts from 1368 when he wrote “The Book of the Duchess”. ‘The House of Fame’ in 1374 and ‘The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales’ made him very popular in prominent. In Canterbury Tales, 29 pilgrims are going to the shrine of the Martyr St. Thomas a Becket. Chaucer was among them and characterized them very artistically. Chaucer used to represent abstract ideas and concepts through color symbolism.
Significance of colors
There
are different colors symbolically used in ‘The Prologue to the Canterbury
Tales’ by Geoffrey Chaucer; they are very significant. The narrator related
these colors to different characters. The beads of the collar rosary of the
Prioress were green. The Pardoner’s hair was yellow. The Doctor of Physics
dress was red and blue. The wife of Bath’s face was scarlet and Miller’s upper
coat was blue as well.
As
mentioned earlier that the narrator relates these colors to different
characters. The detailed descriptions of the colors are below.
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Blue Color
This color is one of trust, responsibility, honesty, and loyalty. It is sincere, reserved and quiet, and doesn't like to make a fuss or draw attention. It hates confrontation and likes to do things in its own way. In Canterbury tales, this color is used in the characters of the doctor of Physic, the Miller and the Reeve. Dr of Physik is wearing a dress having a blue color in it. In this character, it symbolizes trust, responsibility, and authority which people are supposed to give to the doctor when interacting with him in general. “In sanguine and in perse he clad was all, with taffeta and with sending all” One of the characters “The Miller” is wearing a blue hood.
It could be associated with the planet Venus which would be a reference to Miller’s bawdy tale and his supposed sexual incontinence. In reference to Canace’s blue velvet mew in “The Squire’s tale” blue is explained by Chaucer as being the color of constancy in love. “A long surcoat of perse upon he had, And by his side he bore a rusty blade” From a color psychology perspective, blue is reliable and responsible. This color exhibits an inner security and confidence.
In a negative sense, it
is rigid, deceitful and spiteful, depressed and sad, too passive,
self-righteous, superstitious and emotionally unstable, too conservative and
old-fashioned, predictable and weak, unforgiving, aloof and frigid. It can also
indicate manipulation, unfaithfulness and being untrustworthy which can be one
of the interpretations Chaucer intended the reader to perceive.
Grey Color
The
color gray is an unemotional color. It is detached, neutral, impartial and
indecisive. In Canterbury tales the Prioress wears a wimple draped to show off
her well-formed nose, gray eyes, and a small red mouth.
“Full
seemèly her wimple pinchèd was, headdress pleated her nose tretis, her eyes
grey as glass”
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Chaucer
used the color grey to refer to the Prioress’ eyes depicting her cold and
emotionless behavior for mankind and with a sense of pride for belonging to the
aristocratic class.
From
a color psychology perspective, gray is the color of compromise - being neither
black nor white, it is the transition between two non-colors. Being both
motionless and emotionless, gray is solid and stable, creating a sense of calm
and composure, relief from a chaotic world. The color gray is subdued, quiet
and reserved. It does not stimulate, energize, rejuvenate or excite. Gray is
generally conservative and formal, but can also be modern.
Red Color
Red
is the color of extremes. It is the color of passionate love, seduction,
violence, danger, anger, and adventure. Red was also associated with fire and
blood – energy and primal life forces in ancient times. Red is also a magical
and religious color. It symbolized super-human heroism to the Greeks and is the
color of the Christian crucifixion. Red was almost as rare and as expensive as
purple in ancient days – a fact that may explain its magic and power.
In The Prologue to the Canterbury tales, the color red is used in many characters. Squire is wearing a dress embroidered with “floured Whyte and reede” which symbolizes his lust and his desire to seduce because is indulged in courtly love and he spends all of his time trying to impress his lady. Chaucer described the mouth of the Prioress as, “Hir mouth full small, and therto soft and reed” Which symbolizes her good health as she takes care of herself and her appearances way too much.
Doctor of Physics is also wearing a dress that has
color red in it; “ In Sangwan and in pers he clad was all “The color red in his clothes symbolizes the
blood-as symbol of life as he is a practitioner and wants his clients to
perceive him as their life savior. Red was also associated with luxury in old
times because it was an expensive and rarely available color. This also shows
that Doctor of Physics is earning loads of money.
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In
the character of Wife of the Bath red color is used twice, firstly in her
clothing “Hir hosen weren of fun scarlet reed” and secondly while describing
her face “Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe”
Her
use of red stockings can suggest her lusty nature. She had seven husbands. Her
bold, fair , the red face can symbolize her good health or her hot-tempered as
she couldn’t bear if some would perform offering before her.
White
is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is
considered to be the color of perfection. White means safety, purity, and
cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation.
White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith
and purity.
Chaucer
used the color white to describe the neck of Friar, “ His neck whit was as the
flour-de-lays “, which symbolized his beauty. Squire, is also wearing clothes
having white-colored flowers in it; “Al ful of fresshe floures, Whyte and
reede” , here the color white can belie the nature of the Squire, as he is
neither innocent nor pure or holy. He is not sincere about his job. He avoids
responsibilities and keeps himself indulged in lustful activities and
merry-making throughout the day mourning.
The Color Gold
The
color gold is the color of extravagance, wealth, riches, and excess, and shares
several of the same attributes of the color yellow. The color gold is a warm
color that can be either bright and cheerful or somber and traditional. The
color gold is the cousin to the color yellow and the color brown and is also
associated with illumination, love, compassion, courage, passion, magic, and
wisdom.
Gold
is a precious metal that is associated with wealth, grandeur, and prosperity,
as well as sparkle, glitz, and glamour. Gold is the official fiftieth wedding
anniversary gift, with copper as the official seventh wedding anniversary gift
and bronze as the official eighth wedding anniversary gift.
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Gold
gemstones are believed to increase personal wisdom and power, aid in health and
wellness, create success and prosperity, and illuminate the path toward your
goal.
Other
meanings associated with the color gold:
The
term “fool’s gold” refers to anything mistaken for gold, or something that is
worthless.
The
phrase “gold star” is used to signify praise, accomplishment, and commendation.
The
saying “solid gold” refers to superior, high-quality, outstanding, and the best
of best.
The
term “gold standard” is a measure of the best, quality, and excellence.
The
phrase “gold brick” is used in reference to a trick, cheat, or actions of
deceit.
The
phrase “good as gold” means, that something is valuable or positive.
The
expression “golden child” refers to a favored person.
The expression “gold digger” describes someone who is only after a person’s money.
In
Canterbury Tales:
The Miller’s “thombe of gold” was a direct reference, of course, to his cheating ways on the scale with his customers’ grain and flour. Millers were proverbially thought of as thieves, and the reference to “gold’’ – not only metal but a color – meant that his thumb was heavy indeed. It is also a suggestion of his inhumanity, for if a part of his body could be other than flesh, he was less than human and not as worthy of respect or sympathy as a true human being.
Gold and red are often spoken of together in medieval verse
and the parallel with his red hair (which, of course, is really orange, or red
– gold) could be continued here. Or, it could be that he is so enamored of
profit, in the form of stolen grain or flour or in gold itself that his thumb
has become made of it.
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Moving
on to the description of the parish clerk Absalon, another riot of color
attributes are given to him:
His
hair was all in golden curls and shone:
Just
like a fan, it strutted outwards, starting
To
left and right from an accomplished parting
The clerk’s golden curls would have been proverbial for a wanton youthful lover, and might have looked incongruous in his drab role of clerk.
Finally,
when a “golden ring”. This is a continuation of the theme of Alison as being a
woman of easy virtue, bordering, perhaps, on prostitution. Absalom, in his
contempt, makes it clear that her virtue (whether she is being faithless to her
husband or faithless to Absalom) can be bought by such a trinket, hearkening
back to the description of her metallic finery at the beginning of the tale. In
fact, instead of a golden ring, Nicholas, attempting to “improve upon the jape”
(Ibid) receives a painful burn from a hot colter and the parallel between
gold/red and flame Absalon returns to take his revenge on Nicholas and Alison,
he significantly offers Alison is continued.
Ruddy Color
Chaucer
in his Prolong to the Canterbury tales, there are three major symbols that can
be found. These symbols are objects, figures, and colors that Chaucer used to
represent abstract ideas and concepts. To the description, he colors employed
by Chaucer were important not only for the vividness of the description to help
to make the mental image for the readers but also for the clues to the nature
of the characters described.” Color symbolism was far more important in
medieval society than it is today”.
Synonyms for Ruddy
Blooming,
florid, full blood, red, rosy, rubicund.
Meaning
of ruddy:
Good
health, overflow of lust and worldly desire.
In
13th century ruddy color was used in literature. In middle English RUDI from
old English ruding, from rudu redness; akin to Old English read red –from at
Red. Chaucer’s poetry is almost entirely innocent of poetic diction, which is
quite understandable. Six colors terms are applied to his poetry; golden,
ruddy, grey scarlet, and white. Being
ruddy of the face has been described as armors, foolish and deceitful which
indeed Absalon is.
Ruddy
color is used in the different situation having different having various shades
i-e ruddy –brown, ruddy golden, ruddy – yellow.
According
to Samuel Johnson in his dictionary (1755) define ruddy as “ Approaching to redness”. Johnson was
thinking of Dryden’s line.
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“A
crown of ruddy golden in closed her blow”. By which in the 18th century had
become forgotten to the extent that he didn’t know what to make of it.
Killed
by four boar;
From
his pale lips, the ruddy color fled.
The
stain of violation is upon the,
Conclusion
Colors carry energy, strength and sometimes it represents physiognomy. Color plays a significant role in our everyday life. With these colors, we sometimes feel excited, happy, and pleasurable while occasionally, we feel sad or unhappy. Every planet has a color of its own that greatly influences our mood. Each color has its own likeness and impact on our life. Life is completely isolated without colors. Sunlight; the natural source of color, comprises seven colors.
In fact, these colors connect our life to nature. According to zodiac signs, colors play a very important role in human life by giving strength and depict the physiognomy of the person as well. For example, red color represents action, passion, power, optimism, self-confidence, energy, determination, fortitude, and ambition. Yellow implies power, energy, and intelligence. Green signifies the growth and balance in life. Blue represents tranquility, trust, and peace. This color relates to protection, security, and comfort and material wealth. Grey represents sensitivity, responsiveness, sensibility, emotions, intelligence, peace, versatility, perseverance and mysteriousness.
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